The last time UFC fans got to see Alex Pereira, was back in October when he successfully defended his light heavyweight title with a fourth-round TKO victory over Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307. It was his third successful title retention in 2024, and ‘Poatan’ surely earned a reputation as the go-to man for Dana White to save UFC pay-per-views. However, one criticism that does not leave his side is the fact that he has yet to face Magomed Ankalaev.

Ankalaev has been in the number one spot of the UFC light heavyweight rankings for quite a while now. As a result, he is widely regarded by fans as the toughest challenge for ‘Poatan’ in the division. After all, the other fighters whom Alex Pereira faced could barely match the brute strength and skill of the fighter from the favelas. But what if we tell you that even Ankalaev might fall short against the Brazilian? Well, that’s not us but Jan Blachowicz, who revealed this belief of his.

The former light heavyweight champion who has shared the Octagon with both Pereira and Ankalaev in the past definitely knows a thing or two about the fighters. So during an interview with James Lynch from Home of Fight, he revealed why the Russian might struggle against ‘Poatan.’ He said, “If Ankalaev will fight like last fight with (Aleksandar) Rakic, he’s going to lose the fight. He needs to do something more. He needs to be like, I don’t know, but…he is good fighter, but it’s not enough for Pereira in this kind of style. He needs to change.”

Putting further emphasis, Jan Blachowicz claims that Magomed Ankalaev does not believe in his skills. While winning remains the Russian’s key focus, his mind is almost equally focused on not getting hit much. This careful approach often keeps him on the defensive for most of his fights. So going against a fighter like Alex Pereira, who relies on his offensive mindset and strikes, would be a herculean task. Well, it seems like the aggressive approach of ‘Poatan’ might just work in his favor. However, it is also worth noting that it equally lands him in troubled waters.

Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill have a clash in the UFC gym

After weeks of social media provocations, Alex Pereira and Jamahal Hill were finally under the same roof, and it all almost came to blows. Hill, who is preparing to face Jiri Prochazka on January 18 at UFC 311, coincided with Pereira at the UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas. Although it seemed like it was going to be a cordial interaction, ‘Poatan’ quickly tired of Hill’s talk and threw some gloves at him, inviting him to fight.

However, the former Light Heavyweight champion did not accept the proposal, claiming that he does not fight “for free,” but they still had to be separated so that the incident would not escalate. While Hill claimed that Pereira sledged him by telling him through his translator, “He said you’re still sleeping, woke up and s–’,” Alex Pereira claims that the UFC fighter should be more focused on his fight against Prochazka rather than running his mouth. “Well, things happened first…I’m focused on myself, focused on my thing. Right now, he should be worried about his next fight. He has a tough fight with Jiri.”

It is worth noting that Pereira made his second defense as a 205-pound champion by knocking out Hill in the first round during the UFC 300 main event. However, Hill believes that the referee intervened too quickly and has been looking to prove himself again. What do you think? Who should Pereira fight next? Let us know in the comments.