Dana White reacts to Alex Pereira teasing move back down to 185lbs to challenge DDP… 'That's why people love him'
04/09/2024 13:10
Whilst Alex Pereira is preparing for the next defense of his UFC light heavyweight championship, set for UFC 307 against veteran Khalil Rountree Jr, that hasn't stopped the Brazilian superstar from teasing his next big-money move.
In fact, the former kickboxing world champion has stated that despite headlines surrounding a potential super-fight with either Jon Jones or Tom Aspinall looming large at heavyweight, he might not be done with 185lbs after all.
Alex Pereira says he 'wants' to move back down to middleweight to fight DDP
Over recent months, there had been speculation that Alex Pereira could move up to heavyweight in the hopes of capturing title gold and glory in a third weight class; something that coach Glover Teixeira says would be 'no problem' for Poatan.
Yet Pereira himself has now come out to tease that his next move, after facing Khalil Rountree Jr in October, could be back down to his old stomping ground of middleweight – not up to heavyweight as many expected.
"I'm focused on my next fight and I'm going [to be] prepared but you never know what can happen," Pereira stated in a recent Instagram post, confirming that "Regardless of the result [vs Rountree] I want to go down one more time to the middleweight and go for the belt.
"Hey Dricus, bring your will to fight me so you can prove that you are better than me, with your public statement it is easy to make this happen, Chama."
Dana White reacts to Alex Pereira claiming he could move back down to 185lbs
At the post-fight press conference following last night’s new episode of Dana White's Contender Series, the UFC President was asked about his take on Pereira teasing a move back down to middleweight.
"My take on him is 'He's f****** nasty' – that's my take on him," stated Dana White, explaining how such commitment to fighting is why so many fans have become enamored by Pereira since signing for the promotion.
"He wants to move up, he wants to move down, he wants to do everything – that's why people love him. Those are the type of fighters that people love so you know, Pereira wants to fight everybody, and I love it."
"The thing that's great about this is that it gives us a tonne of options that as we're in matchmaking 'Should we do this, should we do that, shouldn't we do this, shouldn't we do that' – it's a good problem to have with a guy like him."
White would refer to the fact that when it comes to Alex Pereira, agreeing to unexpected but highly entertaining title fights is nothing new for the Brazilian.
"How about he's on vacation in Australia and accepts the last-minute fight? Everything about Alex Pereira is what makes fans absolutely love him."
Yet should Pereira make that move back down to middleweight, it'll likely be the end of his heavyweight aspirations since at 37 years old, there probably isn't enough time to float between three different weight classes.
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"Listen, all these guys are battling time, we're just going to have to see what happens over the next couple of months," acknowledged White.
"There are a lot of fights happening in these weight classes and first Stipe vs Jones needs to happen, then we figure out where we go there… Aspinall is obviously the next guy to get the next title shot and we'll see how it all plays out."
One man who certainly wasn't as impressed with Pereira's tease of a move back to middleweight is the man who currently retains the 185lb title, Dricus Du Plessis.
The South African brawler took to X to respond: "Alex Pereira you and your boyfriend Sean Strickland can have a domestic dispute on who gets slept first."
Alex Pereira vs Khalil Rountree Jr goes down live at UFC 307 from Salt Lake City, Utah on October 5.
