"There’s no one in that division posing a threat" - Robert Whittaker backs Alex Pereira’s UFC heavyweight move after calling division “an old era”

Robert Whittaker recently voiced his desire to see Alex Pereira in UFC's heavyweight division following his triumph in the 205-pound weight class.

Pereira made quick work of Magomed Ankalaev by knocking him out in the first round this past Saturday in the main event of UFC 320 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Everyone in the MMA community was in awe of Pereira's brilliant performance, including Whittaker.

In a recent episode of the MMArcade Podcast, Whittaker said that a move to the heavyweight division is the most sensible course of action for Pereira, since there aren't any top contenders who pose a ''threat'' to the two-division champion:

''The guys who had the best chance of beating Alex Pereira aren’t in the division anymore. It was a generation ago, unfortunately it was an era ago. There’s no one in that division posing a threat to Alex. Moving up to heavyweight is the right thing to do, super-stardom wise and money wise.''

Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more

Check out Robert Whittaker's comments below:

Last month, prior to his title rematch against Ankalaev, Pereira revealed that he weighed more than 234 pounds. Even during the media day, 'Poatan' hinted that his tenure in the 205-pound weight class might be coming to an end. When asked about a matchup with Tom Aspinall post-UFC 320, Pereira said that he was more interested in facing MMA legend Jon Jones at the UFC House card next year.

As for Whittaker, he is currently on a two-fight skid. Last year, Khamzat Chimaev submitted him at UFC 308, breaking the Australian's jaw in the process. Whittaker recovered and made his return against Reinier de Ridder at UFC Abu Dhabi in July, suffering a split decision defeat.

Robert Whittaker names one MMA legend who could have beaten Alex Pereira

In a podcast episode last week, Robert Whittaker discussed Alex Pereira's run in the light heavyweight division.

The former middleweight champion said that Daniel Cormier would have dominated Pereira, citing his experience in the wrestling department:

''You look at Pereira’s opponents that he’s fought and yes, he’s ran through them, but those dudes weren’t the guys to beat him, I don’t think there aren’t a lot of those heavy wrestle mixed guys in the division at this moment. You know what I was thinking just now… You know who would’ve given Alex hell? [Daniel Cormier]. Light heavyweight DC would’ve ran him over I reckon''

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.

Know More