Alex Pereira proves Israel Adesanya's prediction right; cements himself as the next LHW contender in close UFC 291 decision against Jan Blachowicz

The co-main event for UFC 291 featured an exciting light heavyweight clash between Jan Blachowicz and Alex Pereira.

The fight, which took place at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah on July 29, was expected to be a high-stakes affair as the winner could potentially be next in line for a title shot.

Blachowicz attempted to land a takedown in the opening seconds of the fight but Pereira managed to keep the fight standing and also attempted a guillotine choke. The Polish Powerhouse eventually landed the takedown and got ahold of the Brazilian's back. The 40-year-old attempted to lock a rear-naked choke but 'Poatann' managed to stay out of danger.

The two traded low kicks to start off the second round. Pereira' kicks were starting to pay dividends when Blachowicz changed levels to score another takedown. After some struggle, Pereira managed to get back on his feet and landed several significant blows on his opponent.

The third was mostly a stand-up affair where both fighters landed heavy blows on each other. After multiple failed attempts, Blachowicz scored a takedown in the final minute of the round but could not inflict much damage on the Brazilian.

The bout lasted the full 15 minutes and Pereira was declared the winner by split decision. The three judges scored the contest 29-28, 28-29 and 29-28 in favor of the 36-year-old.

With the victory, Alex Pereira came through on former rival Israel Adesanya's prediction, who had picked the Brazilian to get his hand raised.

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What's next for Alex Pereira in the UFC?

By defeating former champion Jan Blachowicz in his UFC light heavyweight debut at UFC 291, Alex Pereira has emerged as a powerful contender in the 205-pound division.

The light heavyweight title is currently vacant as champion Jamahal Hill relinquished the belt after suffering an injury. UFC seems to be riding high on the Brazilian. 'Poatan' was offered the middleweight title shot after just three UFC fights. So, there is a good possibility that the 36-year-old's next fight could be for the vacant light heavyweight throne.