Accused of “Sanctioned Cheating” by Joe Rogan, Alex Pereira’s Crippling Weight Cut Once Had Dana White Concerned

Alex Pereira is one of the most terrifying fighters to ever step foot into the Octagon. ‘Poatan’ or ‘Hands of Stone’ is an apt nickname for the fighter who is known for his incredible knockout power. He also holds the distinction of being the first GLORY kickboxing champion in multiple weight classes. Pereira’s journey in the UFC saw him secure the middleweight title by knocking out former kickboxing rival, Israel Adesanya at UFC 281.

Pereira later lost his title in a rematch against Adesanya at UFC 287. A loss that prompted him to set his sights on the light heavyweight title instead. With UFC 295 just days away, Pereira will be headlining the event in a title fight against Jiri Prochazka. However, his road to UFC stardom wasn’t smooth. And the Brazilian has been accused of ‘cheating the system’ in the past!

Prominent UFC figure accused Alex Pereira of ‘cheating’ due to his weight-cutting

Alex Pereira vs Jiri Prochazka was moved up to the main event for UFC 295. The change came after it was reported that Jon Jones is out of his fight against Stipe Miocic. Jones suffered an injury during training to his pectoral tendon and thus, Pereira vs. Prochazka will now be the marquee event for the card.

However, Pereira’s weight-cutting prowess has drawn flak from notable figures like UFC CEO Dana White and Joe Rogan in the past. White, in a press conference after UFC 287 had stated, “I know that he had, he still had like two pounds to cut leading up to [the weigh-ins], there was like an hour left at the end.”  The comments indicated that White was concerned about Pereira not fighting at his natural weight limit and he stated that he will soon move up a weight class.

Joe Rogan, the host of the JRE podcast and UFC color commentator, also echoed White’s comments.  In a past JRE episode with Jackass star and MMA fan, Steve-O, Rogan had stated that he believes the massive weight cuts that Pereira undergoes give him an unfair advantage in the cage.

He believed that Pereira stepped into the cage for the middleweight bout against Israel Adesanya above the 185lbs limit after rehydrating. He stated, “And he has a hard time making 185. It’s a bull— thing. It’s basically sanctioned cheating. It really is.”

Pereira will now be looking to repeat his incredible feat from his GLORY kickboxing days. And if he wins against Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295, he will hold the rare distinction of achieving the same in both GLORY and UFC!

But Prochazka, the former UFC light heavyweight champion, has stated that he thinks there’s a gap in ‘Poatan’s skill set that he can exploit!

Jiri Prochazka made a bold statement about Pereira’s skills

In a highly anticipated match, Jiri Prochazka is ready to face Brazilian knockout artist Pereira for the vacant light heavyweight title. The light heavyweight division has seen frequent title changes since Jon Jones vacated the title in early 2020. Prochazka added to the chaos with his impressive submission win over Glover Teixeira in June 2022. However, a shoulder injury forced Prochazka to relinquish the title, and subsequent events left the championship unclaimed.

In an interview with Shak MMA, Prochazka stated that he’ll have a significant edge over Pereira. He believes that “I have to say, Alex, he’s not a good martial artist like on the ground on the wrestling but one thing he can do and knows what to do is his striking.”

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Now, fans can expect an action-packed battle, especially on their feet, which is where Prochazka believes he excels. But ‘Poatan’ and his power are a threat to anyone who steps up to face him inside the Octagon!

Do you think Alex Pereira and his weight cutting gives him an unfair advantage over his opponents? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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