UFC light-heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has spoken out for the first time about his decision to accept a short-notice title rematch against Jiri Prochazka in the main event of UFC 303 in just two weeks time.
“I understand that this fight is very close and there may be difficulties with the lead up time BUT if there is somebody that can make this happen it is me! POATAN!” Pereira wrote on Instagram.
“This is why I am one of the biggest names in the UFC Alex Pereira!!! I take risks that not one other person would be willing to take but I know I have my ancestors with me. The spirits are with me and I’m ready for it all.”
There’s no debate that Pereira’s strength of schedule has been second-to-none over the past couple of years as his last six fights have all come against either past, present or future champions, including Sean Strickland, Israel Adesanya (twice), Jan Blachowicz, Jiri Prochazka and Jamahal Hill.
Along the way he’s separately become both middleweight and light-heavyweight champion, finished four of the six fights via strikes and also headlined UFC 300.
With all those accomplishments already under his belt and reportedly coming out of UFC 300 with two broken toes it’s quite remarkable that little more than two months later Pereira is willing to step back into the Octagon again on short notice for this rematch with Prochazka, who he beat by TKO in their first encounter last November.
