The global MMA community has been thrown into turmoil thanks to a rumor that Alex Pereira is in talks to fight Khamzat Chimaev for his next UFC light heavyweight title defense.
While that rumor hasn't been confirmed by either team, Alex Pereira certainly didn't help matters by claiming that his next title fight “won't be [against] Ankalaev.”
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Rumor has it that Alex Pereira is in talks to fight Khamzat Chimaev
Earlier this week, UFC fans woke up to a rather surprising rumor circulating on X; that Pereira's next title fight will not be against Magomed Ankalaev as many expected, but against Khamzat Chimaev.
As fans began to speculate about the match, Pereira himself teased on social media that he is rejecting Magomed Ankalaev as his next opponent – which only fueled the rumor further.
Responding to the story on Instagram, former heavyweight Brendan Shaub reshared the first post with the caption: “No F***** way, does anyone know if this is real? To take. Mine. Money.”
The rumor even reached the ears of former middleweight king Robert Whittaker, who claimed that his former opponent would indeed beat Pereira if that fight actually materialized.
“I saw a rumor that Chimaev might go to Pereira to fight – imagine that… Chimaev [wins] easy – maybe not easy – but Chimaev [wins] But… Unless the heavyweight's power changes his momentum, Chimaev would get the takedown. He is good at what he does and that plays to his strengths.
“But hypothetically, let's say Chimaev slows down and gasses him a little bit, Pereira doesn't, and he can strike in his sleep… He'll kill Chimaev in the stand-up, it won't be like that Usman-Chimaev fight where Usman if he outsmarted him it would be a massacre.”
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Chimaev and Pereira have a long history of calling each other names
A fight between Chimaev and Pereira would surprise countless UFC fans, although the two superstars have a long history of challenging each other.
In 2023, Chimaev called Pereira a “scared boy” and before his last fight at UFC 308, he reaffirmed that he has “always been open” about his desire to face Poatan.
“I know this is a match for me stylistically [is] a lot easier than it is for other guys,” Chimaev told Michael Bisping ahead of his clash with Whittaker.
“But if I strike, I'm honest, the guy could knock me out. I know he is a good striker, one of the best who has the hardest punches. [but] I'm one of the best wrestlers and he's not.”
UFC fans have mixed feelings about a potential showdown between Pereira and Chimaev
Even from the briefest scroll through some of the comments, it's clear that MMA fans have mixed feelings about the rumored light heavyweight title fight.
“That would be huge – and I have to say I don't understand how Pereira can take Khamzat's takedowns,” one fan wrote on X, while another added: “This would be CRAZY if this is real and something actually happens! ”
That said, there are plenty of fans who argue that such a matchup makes no sense whatsoever, from both a divisional and promotional standpoint.
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“This makes absolutely no sense to anyone involved,” said one user, while another user shared that “the fact that it is worth avoiding Ankalaev gives me conflicting feelings.”
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