Alex Pereira expects Pavlovich to wrestle, Adesanya objects
Pereira thinks the Russian may turn to takedowns at UFC 335, and Adesanya doesn’t like hearing him talk about a return to light heavyweight.
Alex Pereira believes Sergei Pavlovich will try to take him down if he can’t knock him out early. The two heavyweights meet on December 12 in the UFC 335 co-main event at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Pereira’s prediction came out the same day Israel Adesanya criticized his plan to return to light heavyweight if he loses.
What Pereira expects from Pavlovich
Speaking on ConnectCast, Pereira said the Russian may come out firing in search of an early finish. “[H]e might unleash the machine gun, and if he can’t land his shots, he might try to wrestle me to wear me out,” Pereira said, as reported by Sherdog.
“I’m getting ready; I’m excited about the training and everything I’ve been doing with the team,” he added.
Pavlovich is 21-3 in MMA and riding a three-fight win streak. His latest win came against a Brazilian: on May 30 in Macau, he knocked out Tallison Teixeira in 39 seconds. Pavlovich also fought Tom Aspinall for the interim heavyweight title in 2023 and lost by first-round knockout.
The fight is scheduled for five rounds, according to the UFC. Charles Oliveira vs. Diego Lopes for the BMF title headlines the card, a matchup VF Comunica covered when Oliveira threatened to give up the BMF belt before UFC 335.
Adesanya questions Pereira’s plan to go back to 205
In the same interview, Pereira said what he would do after another heavyweight loss: “I wouldn’t stay at heavyweight. I’d go back to light heavyweight. I think that’s the best thing to do.”
That didn’t sit well with Israel Adesanya, who fought Pereira twice in the UFC. Speaking on The Demetrious Johnson Show, as reported by MMA Fighting, Adesanya said: “I already saw a clip of Pereira saying if he loses to Pavlovich, he’s going back down to 205. I don’t like the fact he’s putting that out there.”
“I don’t know why he’s taking this fight, it doesn’t make sense to me,” Adesanya said. He believes Pereira should have returned to 205 right after his loss to Ciryl Gane, and urged him to “Go back to Chama,” the catchphrase that became Pereira’s trademark.
Their rivalry runs deep. Pereira stopped Adesanya at UFC 281 in November 2022 to win the middleweight title. Adesanya got his revenge at UFC 287 in April 2023 with a second-round knockout. According to MMA Fighting, the two are on friendly terms today.
Pereira’s heavyweight debut against Gane
Pereira is 13-4 in MMA. The former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion made his heavyweight debut on June 14 at UFC Freedom 250, the White House event, and lost to Ciryl Gane by second-round TKO for the interim title. He later criticized referee Herb Dean for not stopping strikes to the back of the head during the finishing sequence.
Gane defends the title against Josh Hokit at UFC 334 on November 14. That booking led Pereira to accuse the UFC of manipulating fans, as VF Comunica reported.
Pereira’s record on the ground
If Pavlovich does what Pereira expects, the fight will test an area rarely seen in the Brazilian’s career. Of his 13 wins, 11 came by knockout and two by decision, with no submissions. The only time he was submitted was in his pro debut in 2015, at Jungle Fight 82, when Quemuel Ottoni finished him with a rear-naked choke.
Pereira has been a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt since April 2024, promoted by Plinio Cruz inside the Octagon after he knocked out Jamahal Hill at UFC 300. He trains in Connecticut at Glover Teixeira’s gym; Teixeira, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, is also a black belt.
Should Pereira stay at heavyweight even if he loses to Pavlovich, or is Adesanya right that he should already be back at 205? Tell us in the comments.
Read more:
- Is Poatan a Jiu-Jitsu black belt? Alex Pereira’s promotion and his record on the ground
- Alex Pereira accuses UFC of manipulating fans to book Gane vs. Hokit
- Valter Walker fires back at Alex Pereira over sparring dare
