UFC 300 News: Alex Pereira Shuts Down Rumors of Third Title Bid

The former UFC middleweight champion claimed the light heavyweight belt in his last fight.

A move to the heavyweight division might be in his future, but Alex Pereira doesn’t plan on testing himself in a third weight class at UFC 300. 

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Following a successful light heavyweight debut against Jan Błachowicz at UFC 291, Pereira met former champion Jiří Procházka for the division’s vacant belt in the main event of UFC 295. “Poatan” stopped Procházka with strikes late in the second round, and the victory put the Brazilian on the short list of fighters that have held UFC titles in multiple weight classes.

A recent social media post from the former middleweight champion prompted speculation that Pereira might be eyeing a meeting with interim heavyweight titleholder Tom Aspinall at UFC 300, but the 36-year-old was quick to dismiss that suggestion during a recent interview with The Mac Life.

Aspinall claimed the interim heavyweight title at UFC 295.  :: (Sarah Stier/USA TODAY Sports)

“Well, [I] fought at middleweight and then [I] had to listen to [my] body to go up and fight at light heavyweight,” Pereira said through his translator. “[I’m] a fighter bro, [I’m] willing to fight. [I’ll] fight anybody, anywhere. But, this kind of thing – [I have] the height and [am] basically the size of a heavyweight, but this is the kind of thing that has to be programmed, put some work in, it’s not something to just jump in on an adventure like that.”

Pereira and Procházka headlined UFC 295 after Jon Jones was forced to pull out of his heavyweight title defense against Stipe Miocic, and Aspinall ended up claiming the interim heavyweight belt in the card’s co-main event when he knocked out Sergei Pavlovich in the first round.

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There have been a few champion-versus-champion matchups rumored for UFC 300, but even if Pereira won’t challenge for a third UFC title at that event the Brazilian didn’t rule out a possible move to heavyweight somewhere down the line.

Pereira claimed a second belt in just his seventh UFC bout.  :: (Sarah Stier/USA TODAY Sports)

“[I] want to make [the move] the right way. [I] can definitely fight at heavyweight – maybe someday for the future. But it’s gotta be something [that’s] well-planned. So right now [I’m] focused on [my] light heavyweight reign.”

Only three fights have been announced for UFC 300 so far, and Pereira will likely be watching closely when Procházka returns to the cage to face #5-ranked Aleksandar Rakić in a pivotal bout for the light heavyweight title picture.

The card will presumably also feature multiple title fights and as many big-name stars as the UFC can manage, but for the moment any possible headlining attractions like Conor McGregor's return fight are just rumors and speculation.

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