Chael Sonnen is singing the praises of UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, who has made quite a splash in the UFC since transitioning from kickboxing. Sonnen, known for his outspoken takes, labels Pereira a “legitimate tough guy” in a sport that he feels is full of “fake tough guys.”
Pereira has quickly risen to become one of the biggest stars in the UFC, proving that his kickboxing skills translate powerfully in the octagon. The ‘Bad Guy’ admits that he was surprised to see the dominance Pereira has shown, especially at 36 years of age and coming from a different fighting background.
Sonnen’s admiration shines a light on Pereira’s grit and authenticity, making him a standout in a landscape where toughness can often feel like an act. In a recent YouTube video, the bad guy dove deeper into this line of thought saying,
“This is the sport full of fake tough guys and turns out, Pereira is legit. Turns out, he is an actual bad as*. Everybody is a gangster until a gangster walks into the room… Even though he does not have a black belt in anything, it turns out he is tougher than all of them.”
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Sonnen went on to add that not only is Pereira a legitimate tough guy but he is also a huge asset to the UFC as he has, on more than one occasion stepped in on short notice to save big PPV events such as UFC 303 this year and the PPV event at MSG last year.
In addition to this, the Brazilian is also extremely active which makes him a good champion for the UFC to have.
All that said, Sonnen does have his reservations about Pereira ahead of his upcoming fight against a killer like Khalil Rountree.
Sonnen predicts end of Pereira’s reign at UFC 307
Sonnen has some bold thoughts about Pereira’s upcoming title defense against Khalil Rountree at UFC 307 on October 5. While many fans believe Rountree doesn’t deserve this shot and that Magomed Ankalaev is the rightful contender, Sonnen thinks Rountree is be a tough matchup for Pereira.
Many have complained since Ankalaev’s snubbing that the company was protecting their star man but Uncle Chael believes making ‘Poatan’ fight Rountree is a funny way to doing that.
The two are evenly matched on skills and love throwing the kitchen sink at their opponents. However, Sonnen doesn’t believe it will be an even fight.
“Khalil Rountree is going to walk through Pereira. This is the worst matchup I could think of.”
Sonnen explained that Rountree thrives when he’s countering an opponent, making him dangerous against someone like Pereira. He acknowledges Pereira’s intimidating presence but believes Rountree won’t be fazed.
“All those scary punches Pereira throws? That’s exactly where Rountree shines,” Sonnen noted. He warns that if the UFC is trying to protect Pereira, they might have bet on the wrong horse.
