Alex Pereira got here out on high in his newest title protection, however his journey to UFC 307 might have been reduce quick on plenty of events.
Following his thrilling foremost occasion win over Khalil Rountree Jr. on Saturday in Salt Lake Metropolis, the reigning gentle heavyweight champion revealed to reporters his preparation for the struggle was laden with maladies and misfortune.
“The struggle was actually robust, however solely my group actually is aware of how robust this camp was,” Pereira stated on the night’s post-fight press convention. “I went by quite a lot of stuff that no one actually is aware of about. I used to be Brazil over a month in the past, I had some issues with my visa, I used to be going over to the consulate each single day attempting to see if my passport was able to be picked up. Lastly made it again to the U.S., spent a couple of week in Connecticut, been right here for 3 weeks, in that meantime I used to be on antibiotics. I had a fever, I had a foul throat, and quite a lot of issues occurred.
“Additionally, going again, once I was in Brazil I damage my rib. It was an damage that I had a couple of 12 months in the past and it got here again, in order that was additionally one thing that I used to be coping with. Then once I got here right here, my throat was nonetheless unhealthy. I went to the physician, had one other spherical of antibiotics. I even recorded a video-at the time, I stated within the video I might present it if I gained, so we will put that out at some point-but I went by lots. Additionally, the ligament in my toe that was damage from UFC 300, that got here again. There’s quite a lot of issues that I went by on this camp. It was a troublesome struggle, but it surely was a troublesome lead-up to this struggle, and I truly really feel actually happy with myself at this second.”
Accidents piling up for Pereira may be anticipated given his hectic 2024 marketing campaign. UFC 307 marked Pereira’s third title protection of the 12 months and his fourth championship struggle since November 2023. “Poatan” has turn out to be one among MMA’s hottest figures each as a consequence of his spectacular performances and the frequency with which he delivers them.
However don’t assume for a second he needs to make it a behavior of overcoming adversity.
“I’d truthfully fairly not undergo what I went by as a result of the physique suffers,” Pereira stated. “You undergo bodily, however the thoughts is de facto what suffers in these instances, so I’d fairly not need to undergo that.”
It’s Pereira’s opponents that usually take the brunt of the injury when he steps into the cage, although Rountree was hardly a punching bag. Referred to as the “Glory Killer” for scoring wins over Glory Kickboxing veterans Gokhan Saki, Karl Roberson, and Dustin Jacoby, Rountree threatened to reside as much as his nickname at a number of factors in Saturday’s struggle as he traded heavy strikes with Pereira.
In the long run, Pereira’s famed ending skill shined and he beat Rountree down with a barrage of strikes in Spherical 4. He then said his intentions to remain at gentle heavyweight fairly than chase a title in one other division, which might set him as much as face the winner of the upcoming UFC 308 contest between high contenders Magomed Ankalaev and Aleksandar Rakic.
Simply don’t anticipate Pereira to hop again into the cage so quickly once more as even he has to confess his degree of exercise has turn out to be tough to handle.
“For certain, it’s lots,” Pereira stated. “I feel that there’s a restrict. I wish to push myself as a lot as I can. I’m 37 and I wish to reap the benefits of time, however I do have to take a break. I’ve some commitments in Mexico and Korea and Malta … I have to take a while off, however I’m going to be coaching.”
