Replace: Together with his fourth-round defeat of Khalil Rountree by way of TKO at UFC 307, Alex Pereira accomplished step one in all my eight-part plan for him to seize a 3rd UFC title and change into a fight sports activities GOAT. However that’s not all he set in movement. He additionally answered questions on deficiencies in his sport that triggered me to doubt how nicely he’d do towards Tom Aspinall, he stated what I hoped he would when requested about combating Dricus Du Plessis, and backstage, he instructed Megan Olivi he’d do one thing that works completely for my fan-theorized scheme.
He even gained over the good Chael P. Sonnen, who thinks Pereira is maybe barely forward of the totally made-up schedule I’ve laid out for him. “He’s fully one-dimensional for a GOAT,” Sonnen stated on ESPN’s post-show following Poatan’s victory. “I imply, it’s simply kickboxing, it’s simply standup. There’s no groundwork, there’s by no means been a takedown, there’s by no means been a protection of a submission, there’s by no means been a submission thrown up—and he simply could be the GOAT. He has revolutionized the game.”
Learn on to see how MMA’s most dominant kickboxing specialist can take his skills to heavyweight and achieve one thing most of us, myself and Sonnen included, are simply now realizing is feasible.
There are some fascinating factors of comparability when contemplating the rise of Alex Pereira. For one, his stardom is obvious to the thousands and thousands who’ve constructed it, fairly than one thing followers have to be satisfied of, not like the supposed reputation of the Sphere-headlining Sean O’Malley. Furthermore, he’s maintained a McGregor-esque ascent whereas avoiding related controversies, escaped the shadow of Israel Adesanya with out stooping to his stage of immaturity, and change into probably the most beloved Brazilian fighter this facet of José Aldo—all whereas making himself a two-division champion in a fight sport for the second time, having first completed so in Glory Kickboxing earlier than his transfer to MMA.
Granted, when followers and pundits cease speaking star energy and begin discussing GOAT instances, arguments could be made for a lot of different fighters forward of Pereira. Pioneers like Anderson Silva can dangle their hats on historical past, the Demetrius Johnsons of the world can level to their dominance, and Jon Jones has his unbeaten streak on his facet (and Dana White). After duplicating his kickboxing success in a second sport, Alex Pereira has one factor left to do to earlier than he could be included amongst these greats: He has to maneuver to heavyweight and change into the UFC’s first three-division champion.
Because the Gentle Heavyweight Champion prepares to defend his gold at UFC 307 towards Khalil Rountree, learn on as I look previous his opponent, maybe committing a cardinal fight sport sin within the course of, and plot Poatan’s potential highway to heavyweight glory.
