On Saturday night at UFC 320, Alex Pereira quieted his doubters and showed why he is not just the best
On Saturday night at UFC 320, Alex Pereira quieted his doubters and showed why he is not just the best UFC light heavyweight in the world, but is still one of the top pound-for-pound fighters on Earth. He went into the event as a solid underdog in his championship rematch with Magomed Ankalaev and shockingly ran through him in a matter of minutes.
His dominant win, after the first fight was nothing special, probably means the UFC will not rush to do a trilogy clash next. So who will the two-time 205-pound champion face in his Octagon return? We offer up five hold options following UFC 320.
Carlos Ulberg
The fighter most likely to get Pereira next is fast-rising star Carlos Ulberg. He scored a dominant win over Dominick Reyes in his first UFC main event last month. And he is the only contender Pereira hasn’t fought and beaten yet. Furthermore, when asked about the idea of Pereira moving to heavyweight, UFC boss Dana White suggested he would prefer to see him in a light heavyweight title defense next.
Jon Jones
Jon Jones and Pereira have been circling each other for months. But White wanted “Bones” to defend the heavyweight belt against Tom Aspinall in a unification clash. Instead, Jones chose to retire. Since then, he has made it publicly known he wants in on the UFC’s planned event at the White House next year. Jones vs. Pereira would be a phenomenal main event and dream fight for a dream card.
Furthermore, after UFC 320, the Brazilian admitted he planned to push for a bout with Jones next, but instead chose to ask for a moment of silence after it was revealed Jones’ brother Arthur had suddenly passed away on Saturday. While it may not be White’s preference, it just feels like the perfect fight for such a historic event.
Tom Aspinall
Speaking of Aspinall, he will defend his undisputed belt for the first time this month at UFC 321. Pereira and his camp have openly suggested he would like to move up in weight to make history as the first fighter to win titles in three different divisions. If the Englishman defeats Ciryl Gane, don’t be surprised if Pereira relinquishes the 205-pound belt to attempt history at heavyweight next.
Ciryl Gane
There is a real chance Gane defeats Aspinall at UFC 321. While he clearly has grappling deficiencies, he is a dangerous striker who offers big challenges for the champ. If he were to win the heavyweight crown, that might embolden Pereira even more to move up to heavyweight. With Aspinall and his grappling out of the picture, Gane is a far more favorable fight for “Poatan,” even with the big size differences.
Derrick Lewis
The UFC White House event is a huge deal for Dana White, and he will likely try and stack the card. Getting Pereira on it will be a priority. There is a chance Pereira could defend his belt in the next few months and be available for the White House card in June. If there are no strong opponent options around that time, maybe the company goes with a total circus matchup for entertainment against Derrick Lewis?
The company will want to get some big-name American stars on the card. And “Black Beast” is one of the UFC’s most popular. If Pereira doesn’t want to cut weight and get a huge payday, a wild matchup with the heavyweight would be an unexpected but must-see clash.
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