Alex Pereira reveals why he plans to remain at heavyweight after moving up for UFC White House Event

Former two-division UFC champion Alex Pereira has confirmed that his move to the heavyweight division is likely to be permanent. The Brazilian star recently vacated the light heavyweight title in order to pursue a new challenge at heavyweight. Pereira is scheduled to face top contender Ciryl Gane at the special UFC White House event on June 11. The fight could give Pereira the chance to win a championship in a third weight division.

The Brazilian fighter first entered the UFC as a large middleweight. He captured the middleweight title before eventually moving up to light heavyweight. There, he became a two-time champion and established himself as one of the most dangerous strikers in the sport.

Alex Pereira believes heavyweight move will help him create more history

Despite giving up the 205-pound belt, Alex Pereira says the decision did not affect him financially. His current contract does not change based on whether he holds a title. Because of that, he feels comfortable taking risks and chasing new challenges.

Speaking on the Ariel Helwani show, Pereira explained that returning to light heavyweight is still physically possible for him. However, he does not believe there is much left for him to achieve in that division. He said many fighters move to a higher weight class after an emotional decision. When things do not work out, they quickly return to their previous division. Pereira said his move is different because he has wanted to compete at heavyweight for a long time and believes this is the right moment to do it.

The Brazilian also addressed the debate about whether he has the size needed to compete against natural heavyweights. Some critics believe he may struggle against larger fighters. Pereira disagrees with that view.

He explained that he has carefully listened to his body and how it reacts to training. He believes his power already feels similar to that of a heavyweight. Pereira added that he has spent a lot of time sparring with heavyweight fighters during training camps. At the moment, he weighs around 245 pounds and feels strong at that size. Because of that, he sees this move as a great opportunity to continue building his legacy.

A potential fight with Jon Jones is another possibility in the future. Jones is currently dealing with contract discussions with the UFC. Pereira said that if Jones continues fighting in the promotion, there are very few opponents who could face him. In his opinion, a showdown between them would make sense.

For now, however, Pereira’s full focus is on his upcoming heavyweight debut against Gane as he begins a new chapter in his career.





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