Alex 'Poatan' Pereira was sidelined for last night's crazy showdown between former light heavyweight title rivals Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill.
The Czech Samurai emerged victorious from the UFC 311 grudge match, with Prochazka scoring a fantastic third-round knockout to make it two wins from two since his viral loss to the stone-faced champion last June.
Despite these back-to-back defeats, Jiri Prochazka shouted to the LA crowd: “F*** man – I want a third fight with Alex Pereira,” and it didn't take long for the popular Brazilian to respond.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Alex Pereira reacts to Jiri Prochazka's callout after UFC 311 KO
During the UFC 311 broadcast, just before Jiri Prochazka left Hill in a bloodied mess, it was announced that Alex Pereira was set to fight Magomed Ankalaev in the main event of UFC 313.
Speaking via ESPN MMA after the PPV event concluded, Pereira was quoted as saying that the door remains firmly open for a potential trilogy fight with 'BJP' – provided, of course, he gets through Ankalaev in March.
“I'm ready to fight anyone, it doesn't matter who it is – right now it's Ankalaev's time and I'm going to fight Ankalaev, but after this fight, if everything goes well, we're going to give Jiri this opportunity.”
UFC CEO Dana White also sounded open to the idea of a trilogy fight between the two popular strikers, although he also noted that the promotion will wait and see what happens first on March 8.
'I don't know, we'll have to see how things turn out with Alex now, I doubt that [that] people don't want to see this fight again, so we'll see how it turns out.”
Prochazka and Pereira briefly exchanged hellos backstage at UFC 311, admittedly the Brazilian was also filmed trolling both BJP and Jamahal Hill during their fight just hours earlier.
“Hey kids, stop fighting,” Pereira was caught shouting from the cage: “[Or] I'll have to use my belt!”
Alex Pereira says he specifically asked about Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313
Pereira takes on Magomed Ankalaev in the main event of UFC 313 and will look to silence the Russian once and for all after repeatedly accusing 'Poatan' of dodging his title challenge.
The Brazilian was keen to remind fans that he is the champion for a reason, and that distinction gives him the power to pick and choose when and where he competes next.
“Well, I said I wanted to take a break, but I started training again, I started feeling good and started seeing my evolutions, so I immediately called my managers and said I want to fight March. [against] Ankalaev.
“I know he keeps saying I'm just an employee of the UFC and I'll fight whenever they want, but I asked about him and I told him when I wanted to fight.”
So, what does Pereira think of the matchup, now that both men have signed the dotted line?
“He's as dangerous as any opponent I've fought. When I look at him and the way he fights, he is an ordinary man – of course he has weapons and he is dangerous – but I have trained hard, I have evolved a lot, and I am ready for him.
Related topics
Comments