Alex Pereira Receives Startling Warning From UFC Fighter On Hypothetical Grappling Match

One UFC fighter thinks he'd "smoke" Pereira in a grappling match.

Alex Pereira appears to be on a fast track for a UFC light heavyweight title shot, but he's had some beef with a surprising name.

Pereira, a former UFC middleweight champion, and Anthony Smith have been trading harsh words as of late. This all stemmed from Smith's work as an analyst. He recently said that while Pereira is used to having a size advantage at 185 pounds, that wouldn't be the case as a light heavyweight.

"Poatan" took issue with "Lionheart's" assessment and called him "washed up." Smith clearly didn't take too kindly to that comment, ripping Pereira for taking his words out of context. Smith said he even contacted Pereira's mentor, Glover Teixeira, to figure out if something got lost in translation.

VALENTINA SHEVCHENKO INJURY UPDATE: WHEN WILL FORMER UFC CHAMPION RETURN?

Pereira has poked fun at the situation on his Twitter account. He posted a mock photo teasing a grappling match with Smith. As it stands now, this is a hypothetical matchup and nothing has been discussed.

Date: Whenever he has courage pic.twitter.com/1LicTMeIjC

— Alex "Poatan" Pereira (@AlexPereiraUFC) August 30, 2023

During an appearance on "The MMA Hour," Anthony Smith told Ariel Helwani that he's convinced Alex Pereira wouldn't take the grappling match.

"I would, but do you think he would? Not a chance," Smith said. "I think it's just him taking jabs. You know how it is in this media world. It doesn't have to be true, you just have to convince people that it's true or that you want it to be true."

Smith then made it clear how he feels a grappling match with Pereira would go.

"Of course I would," Smith said. "I would grapple him in my front yard right now. It doesn't matter. I would smoke him in a grappling match."

If you use any quotes from this article, please leave an H/T to MMAKnockout.com for the transcription.

READ MORE: UFC ICON REACTS TO NINA AGDAL SUING DILLON DANIS FOR INSANELY UNUSUAL TROLLING

Stick with MMA Knockout for more daily coverage of the UFC and MMA.

Follow MMA Knockout on Twitter and Facebook.