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Alex Pereira's UFC 300 triumph saw him defeat five UFC champions in just eight fights under the promotion. But according to legendary middleweight trash-talker Chael Sonnen, there is more that 'Poatan' can achieve to place himself among the top tier of MMA's all-time greats.
Sonnen recently appeared on The Fighter and The Kid, a YouTube podcast helmed by former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub and comedian Bryan Callen. During his appearance, 'The American Gangster' touched on 'Poatan' achieving something he has, to some degree, already teased.
Sonnen said:
"If he became champ-champ-champ, and he is the first person ever that could actually do it, where we stand back and go, 'Yeah, he actually might be able to.' Best shot. If he did that, we're not out having a conversation on who the GOAT is. We will just refer to him as the GOAT."
Check out Chael Sonnen's take on Alex Pereira (33:13):
For Pereira to achieve the status of a three-division champion would be unprecedented in the UFC. It is within the realm of possibility, at least in terms of him attempting it. Following his viral knockout of Jamahal Hill at UFC 300, 'Poatan' expressed his desire to fight at heavyweight.
The Brazilian is most likely aiming for a matchup with interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, given that Jon Jones, the division's undisputed champion, is currently recovering from a pectoral tendon tear.
While UFC CEO Dana White doesn't seem too keen on the idea, he didn't completely rule it out.
A heavyweight title win would almost certainly catapult Pereira into the GOAT conversation, especially if he does so by beating a foe like either Aspinall or Jones, both of whom are considered dangerous stylistic matchups for him.
Alex Pereira wouldn't be the first three-division MMA champion
While Alex Pereira would certainly become the first three-division champion in the UFC if he manages to capture a belt at heavyweight, there has already been a triple champion in a major MMA organization.
In fact, one of the UFC's chief rivals, ONE Championship, crowned the sport's first three-division champion.
Anatoly Malykhin is the current middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight champion in ONE Championship. The Russian accomplished the milestone back on March 1, when he TKO'd former middleweight and light-heavyweight champion Reinier de Ridder at ONE 166.
