Alex Pereira vows to come back "firm and strong" after extended layoff while sharing return update

Alex Pereira recently shared updates on his octagon return, while promising a strong comeback. Pereira is confident in his chances of reclaiming his UFC crown.

There was a great deal of hostility between Pereira and top contender Magomed Ankalaev, which ultimately led to them settling their differences in the main event of UFC 313 earlier this year. Ankalaev displayed an incredible all-round performance and dethroned Pereira via unanimous decision.

Given the Brazilian's remarkable title run, many expected Pereira to receive an immediate rematch at UFC 318. However, the promotion instead booked Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier as the main event, leaving fans wondering about Ankalaev vs. Pereira 2. The Russian continued to target 'Poatan' on X, saying that the former champion had retired.

Combat sports news outlet Championship Rounds recently posted Pereira's interview with UFC Brazil, where the 37-year-old gave a positive statement on his comeback, saying:

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''We’ll definitely be talking about my next fight soon. I don’t have a specific date yet, but we already have an idea. I took this time off to rest, because I worked hard in 2024. I think my body got tired, I had some injuries, so I decided to take it easy, more on the recovery side, and now I’m coming back – coming back firm and strong, to go after my belt again.''

Check out Alex Pereira's comments below:

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Pereira made three title defenses last year, all of which were knockouts, earning him MMA Fighter of the Year honors. Meanwhile, Ankalaev has not suffered a loss in his past 14 octagon outings. His last defeat occurred against Paul Craig at UFC Fight Night 127 in 2018.

Artem Vakhitov calls for trilogy fight with Alex Pereira

Alex Pereira's former kickboxing foe Artem Vakhitov recently expressed his desire for a trilogy bout with the Brazilian in a recent interview with DAZN News. Pereira and Vakhitov last faced each other at GLORY 78 in 2021, which saw the Russian prevail via majority decision. The two are 1-1 in kickboxing.

Vakhitov is now scheduled to challenge reigning heavyweight champion Rico Verhoeven at GLORY 100 on June 14. Ahead of the title fight, the 34-year-old said:

''I think it would be very interesting if this fight could happen. For sure, I would take the fight. I’d agree and take this opportunity... Alex is doing well in striking in MMA. So it would be a good opportunity to get this fight because he’s still in a striking style.'' [H/t: DAZN]

About the author

Swagat is a dynamic MMA writer with a total experience of a little less than a year, which includes time in retail and sports journalism. He holds an MBA degree.

Swagat fell in love with the sport after watching the iconic grudge match between Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier at UFC 182 in early 2015. Nate Diaz holds a special place in his heart for the Stockton native’s entertaining fan-friendly style and ability to deliver exciting fights regardless of the opponent.

In terms of rule changes in MMA, Swagat advocates for making scores public after each round, adding transparency to judging decisions.

Swagat prioritizes accuracy and relevance while writing and conducts thorough research to ensure the content is fresh and reliable.

He enjoys playing football and painting during his free time.

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Edited by Swagat Kumar Jena