March 11, 2025 2:40 pm ET
After UFC 313, Daniel Cormier doesn’t assume heavyweight would’ve been a good suggestion for Alex Pereira.
Pereira (12-3 MMA, 9-2 UFC) misplaced his gentle heavyweight title to Magomed Ankalaev (21-1-1 MMA, 12-1-1 UFC) by unanimous decision in Saturday’s important occasion at T-Cellular Area in Las Vegas.
Had Pereira received, many speculated a transfer as much as heavyweight to chase a 3rd UFC title would have been subsequent. Nevertheless, after Cormier noticed Ankalaev push Pereira in opposition to the fence and take his finest photographs, he questions whether or not “Poatan” would have had success competing up one other division.
“After we watched Saturday and watched him and Ankalaev combat, it provides me the concept he has sort of maxed out the load he can go up,” Cormier mentioned on “Good Guy/Bad Guy” with Sonnen. “I don’t assume he’s robust sufficient to take care of anybody larger.
“The quantity of stress Ankalaev was in a position to generate with out the hazard coming again at him like we anticipated, these heavyweights will stroll proper by means of what he was throwing at him.”
For now, it seems heavyweight is off the desk for Pereira after UFC CEO Dana White quashed talks of a potential fight against champion Jon Jones. A title combat is probably going subsequent for Pereira, although, because the promotion is gearing towards a right away rematch with Ankalaev.
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