Earlier this month, UFC’s reigning light heavyweight king, Alex Pereira, sent shockwaves through the promotion when, right after Dricus du Plessis secured a victory, instead of congratulating him on defending the title for the first time against Israel Adesanya, Pereira called him out for a middleweight title fight. He boldly declared, “I’m going down to 84kg again. Coming down to 185 one more time,” Since then, the verbal jabs between the two champions have reached a fever pitch.

But what fans are truly waiting for is a real update on the fight. Recently. however, UFC fighter-turned-analyst Chael Sonnen offered a harsh reality check that could throw cold water on fans’ expectations. Let’s dive into what he had to say.

Chael Sonnen dismissed Alex Pereira vs. Dricus du Plessis

Known for his ruthless weight cuts, Alex Pereira once ruled the middleweight division. However, this took a toll on his health, which became evident in his last middleweight fight against Israel Adesanya, a disappointing loss. For that fight, ‘Poatan’ had cut over 40 pounds to make the 185-pound limit, a grueling process that ultimately cost him both his title and his reputation.

Citing these facts, Chael Sonnen dismissed the possibility of a Pereira-Du Plesis matchup. He said, ” It would’ve been a much bigger game of chicken, but it never happened because Du Plessis, guy can’t control themselves. The Du Plessis vs. Alex Pereira fight will never happen. Alex at 185 lbs will never happen against anybody. Guys can’t control themselves because they get too lost the reality.”

Regardless of what Chael Sonnen has to say, it doesn’t affect Alex Pereira. This week, Pereira once again confirmed that he wasn’t bluffing about returning to 185 pounds. Emphasizing the unpredictable nature of the MMA world, he stated, “but you never know what can happen,” This could undermine the analyst’s bold predictions regarding the Dricus du Plessis vs. Alex Pereira fight. ‘Poatan’s’ statement even caught the attention of UFC head honcho Dana White, who couldn’t resist reacting to his remarks.

Dana White on Alex Pereira

It’s no exaggeration to say that Alex Pereira is the new face of the UFC. While Conor McGregor is busy with ventures outside the Octagon, Pereira has quietly taken over the spotlight, winning over fans and UFC boss Dana White with his relentless consistency and warrior spirit. Time and again, Pereira has stepped up when the UFC needed him most—like earlier this year when he saved UFC 303 by accepting a short-notice fight, just months after going to war at the historic UFC 300.

More recently, Pereira rescued UFC 307 Utah from a wave of criticism over its underwhelming fight card. By calling out Dricus du Plessis this week, Pereira once again showed why he’s become a fan favorite and a UFC staple. Even Dana White couldn’t hide his admiration. Asked about Pereira potentially moving back down to 185 pounds, White didn’t hold back: “My take on him [Pereira] is he’s f***ing nasty… he wants to move up, he wants to move down. That’s why people love him. Those are the type of fighters people love. Pereira wants to fight anybody.”

The UFC’s resident gladiator, Pereira isn’t afraid to take on any challenge, whether it’s at middleweight or light heavyweight. But with Chael Sonnen weighing in on a possible du Plessis vs. Pereira showdown, the question remains: will Pereira really drop back to 185 pounds after his struggles there, as Sean Strickland recently pointed out?

What do you think? Will Pereira stay in his new weight class, or take on the challenge of returning to middleweight? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!