UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has come a long way since joining the UFC in 2021, especially considering he had only three professional MMA fights under his belt at the time. In a recent interview, he opened up about his mental state before stepping into the octagon, revealing that he was feeling pretty good.
Pereira shared that his decision to join the UFC was driven by his ambitions and the desire to prove himself on one of the biggest stages in combat sports.
‘Poatan’ reflected on how that mental clarity and confidence played a crucial role in his journey, setting the tone for what would become a remarkable career in the UFC. With a fighter’s spirit and a clear mindset, Pereira was ready to take on whatever challenges lay ahead.
Ahead of his upcoming title defence, Pereira sat down with Anthony Smith and dived deeper into his mindset before entering the UFC.
“Well, I was doing well mentally. In glory they were also giving me a good financial situation where I did not even imagine getting to where I was in Glory. Well everybody knows the UFC, everybody that becomes a champion. Even those that do not become a champion have a better financial situation which they can help their family that motivated me a lot.”
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‘Poatan’ went on to add that he knew he would do well in the UFC but did not anticipate things going so well for him. At this point in time, he is arguably the biggest star in the UFC outside of McGregor and continues to deliver for the promotion time after time who have in return lined up his pockets extremely generously.
The Brazilian fighter takes on Khalil Rountree Jr. this weekend.
Pereira blasts Ankalaev’s style, defends Rountree fight
Alex Pereira recently weighed in on the surprise decision to have Khalil Rountree Jr. headline UFC 307 against him instead of Magomed Ankalaev. While Pereira insists it wasn’t his choice, he feels some blame falls on Ankalaev for having a fighting style that fans find less exciting.
“Honestly, it’s not my fault that Ankalaev has such a boring style that nobody wants to watch,” Pereira told Kevin Iole. He’s ready to face Ankalaev whenever the matchup happens, but for now, his focus is on the American.
Ankalaev, set to fight Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308, responded to Pereira’s comments by highlighting their similar records in finishes. “He knows why he’s not fighting me,” Ankalaev tweeted, reminding Pereira to stay focused on his upcoming fight.
It looks like the tension between these light heavyweight contenders isn’t going away anytime soon!
