LAS VEGAS – Alex Pereira is a person of few phrases, however clearly, his confidence doesn’t lack.
Three days out from his UFC 313 most important occasion Saturday at T-Cellular Enviornment, Pereira (12-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC) admits his inventory could by no means have been larger. A worldwide celebrity who would be the promotion’s huge energetic money cow not named Jon Jones, Pereira embraces the tag.
“I consider so,” Pereira informed MMA Junkie and different reporters by way of an interpreter at a information convention Wednesday, when requested if he’s the game’s largest star. “I had a busy 12 months with nice success. I simply preserve doing this work, and I consider so.”
Given his present standing within the sport, Pereira acknowledges the eye and funds {that a} tremendous combat may carry him. Whereas he affirmed he’s not overlooking his upcoming opponent Magomed Ankalaev, Pereira admitted there are a number of profitable choices ought to he get previous the surging Russian.
“I’m not trying previous forward,” Pereira stated. “Loads of these items haven’t even got here into my thoughts. However what I feel for the longer term what I’ve in hand is both Dricus (Du Plessis) or Jon Jones and even combating Oleksandr Usyk in boxing. These, I see probably occurring. It doesn’t depend upon me. It relies on the UFC. So regardless of the UFC desires to do, I’ll do it.”
Arguably the largest impediment between him and the hypothetical fights he spoke of is Ankalaev (20-1-1 MMA, 11-1-1 UFC), who many followers of the game assume needs to be Pereira’s hardest stylistic check thus far. Pereira understands the intrigue.
“Completely, if I used to be in the identical place that I may watch this combat,” Pereira stated. “Principally or theoretically, it’s a striker vs. a grappler. So if I used to be a fan, I’d truly wish to watch the combat. As a fighter, I wish to combat the combat. … He’s an entire fighter, not solely a wrestler. He has expertise in all places. However I’m ready, too. I’ve been coaching wrestling, grappling, since earlier than I joined the UFC, since I first got here to Connecticut to Glover Teixeira. I got here there to be an MMA fighter and I’m prepared for this.”
For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 313.
Be sure you go to the MMA Junkie Instagram web page and YouTube channel to debate this and extra content material with followers of combined martial arts.
