Alex Pereira wasn’t at full health in his mild heavyweight title defeat to Magomed Ankalaev earlier this month, in line with UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan.
Pereira surrendered his 205-pound world title in a unanimous choice loss to the Russian mild heavyweight in what was simply his second UFC defeat since getting into the organisation in November 2021. The loss delivered to an finish a run of 5 successive wins, with the final 4 of these finishes in world title fights.
However in what was a considerably muted efficiency by his requirements, Pereira was largely unable to impose himself in opposition to the wily Ankalaev who discovered success in stifling the Brazilian on the ft.
And in line with Rogan, two elements performed into Pereira’s under-par efficiency.
“They are saying he fought with a damaged hand and norovirus in opposition to Ankalaev,” Rogan stated throughout a current episode of his podcast, as reported by MMA Fighting.
“He fought with a damaged toe earlier than,” he added. “When he beat Jiri Prochazka, he had a f*cked up knee. Keep in mind when he went and he tumbled on the finish of the battle, that’s as a result of his knee wouldn’t assist him. He was mainly preventing on one leg within the first battle. Then he will get surgical procedure, I assume it’s in all probability meniscus, as a result of he got here again fairly fast.”
Pereira, it have to be famous, has made no point out of sickness or damage within the wake of his loss in opposition to Ankalaev. Norovirus is usually referred to as the ‘winter vomiting bug’ and causes vomiting, diarrhoea and common abdomen discomfort.
Regardless of reporting the hearsay, Rogan additionally said that Ankalaev’s efficiency in his win over Pereira must be recommended.
“Ankalaev and Pereira, second spherical [Pereira] will get rocked after which he’s type of not the identical after that,” he stated. “Way more defensive after that. I noticed breakdown of Ankalaev’s standup in opposition to Pereira, it was very excessive degree. Particularly taking away the entrance hand, he’s doing this round movement together with his hand and taking away angles.”
