Alex Pereira desires to be a simultaneous two-division UFC champion by taking down middleweight titleholder Dricus du Plessis.
“Poatan” received the 185-pound title in November of 2022 however misplaced it in a rematch to Israel Adesanya earlier than shifting up a division and making his solution to the 205-pound gold. Pereira is slated to defend his throne subsequent in opposition to Khalil Rountree, however reaffirms his intention to chop an additional 20 kilos once more after his UFC 307 conflict on Oct. 5.
“I’m targeted on my subsequent battle and I’m going ready however you by no means know what can occur,” Pereira wrote on social media Monday night time. “So whatever the outcome, I need to go down yet one more time to the middleweight and go for the belt. Hey Dricus, carry your will to battle me so you possibly can show that you’re higher than me, together with your public assertion it’s simple to make this occur. Chama.”
Pereira first talked about he was “coming all the way down to 185 yet one more time” moments after du Plessis’ win over Adesanya on Aug. 17, and the middleweight champion responded by suggesting a light-weight heavyweight match as an alternative. Du Plessis is anticipated to rematch Sean Strickland in his subsequent title protection at middleweight, however the UFC has but to formally announce that battle.
Du Plessis has overwhelmed three of the previous 4 middleweight champions in Adesanya, Strickland and Robert Whittaker, with Pereira because the one left to face.
“I actually don’t assume Alex Pereira ought to drop all the way down to 185,” du Plessis stated on the UFC 305 post-fight press convention. “If he desires to, nice, good. However then we’re going to listen to the reasons. I noticed Izzy stiff that man within the first spherical. I felt Izzy’s punching energy tonight. Izzy has nice timing, he’s quick, he’s lengthy and he has nice mixtures, however I felt the facility.
“If Izzy stiffens you want that, you don’t want to be in there with me, particularly not once you’ve received to return in there with the reasons, ‘Oh, I minimize an excessive amount of weight.’ That’s going to occur. Everyone’s going to say it.”
Replace: du Plessis responded in a while X.
