Alex Pereira's "make-or-break" Fight

[DeformedGravy]

If Alex gets past Jan, personally I'd rather see him against the top of the LHW division as opposed to Adesanya 3 right away.

I'd like Alex/Hill for the belt, then first defense against Jiri if he beat Jamahal.

Big if though, if Jan decides to wrestle I think it'll be a long night for Pereira. I don't question his ability to strike with LHW opponents but I definitely question his ability to wrestle with them.

 

[Killer Kadoogan]

Absolute NAH. Dude was the MW champion with relative ease due to the match ups. He has a high chance of KO'ing Jan. This isn't a do or die moment. This is just a moment. He can test the waters here, go back down to MW once Izzy dismantles everyone else with ease again, or even go back to Glory. So many options.

 

[Harlekin]

Not an easy fight. Poatan loves to drop his hands and Jan is solid at counterpunching.
Age should win Alex the fight though. Let's see how his chin is at LHW

 

[The Big Babou]

Dude he was already champ, hes had his "make" it moment. He was already at the top, all he can do is match it. If he loses this fight all he has to do is go back down to MW if he can. Way overthinking this one.

Agreed.

Izzy moved up and lost, then went back down to MW and continued to win until the Poatan knockout.

Poatan has an opportunity to beat the guy who murked Izzy. Its the ultimate troll job, if he beats Jan he gets bragging rights. It wouldn't surprise me if he then went back to MW to fight Izzy again.

 

[KID Yamamoto]

Alex Pereira vs. Glory Kickboxing LHW title win ...

Glory should just cut the LHW weight class. Incredibly weak. Cutting Artem is beyond insane hahhaa.

 

[FloydMayweatherMMA]

Dude he was already champ, hes had his "make" it moment. He was already at the top, all he can do is match it.

He could go one better and defend a title, or become a two weight champion. At the moment, his title reign matches fighters like Juliana Pena, Matt Serra or Nicco Montanõ. Good answer to a quiz question, but not knocking on anybody's list of great fighters.

If he loses this fight all he has to do is go back down to MW if he can. Way overthinking this one.

If he could make 185 comfortably, he wouldn't be fighting Jan. Also, what would be the point? He'd be on a two fight losing streak and would have to find and beat a top MW who can't wrestle in order to get another title fight. I feel like he should have taken the Izzy MMA trilogy.

 

[brakkkop]

quick rise to the title, quick downfall if he loses to jan

 

[RockyLockridge]

If Pereira somehow wins the LHW title. Why would he give Izzy a free TS? That makes zero sense considering Izzy ran from the trilogy already.

But I don’t like Alex’s chances of beating Jan. These guys aren’t on the same level as far as being rounded mma fighters. Alex is still very much a KB striker. And of course he could ko Jan. But if Jan gets Alex down he wins easily.

Looking forward to it.

War Jan.

I don't think Izzy ran from the trilogy, He's letting time pass to make it something bigger. If it's for the LHW title It's Even bigger because they will both be champs

 

[jm5000]

If he loses he can still come back and make a run, a good example of what you are talking about would be holloway or whitaker if he gets back to izzy. Losing to the champ multiple times pretty much relegates you to a gatekeeper

 

[Tweak896]

I guess I could see Pereira maybe lose to Jan, spend more time growing into LHW and winning the next fights and get a title. Could just be his transition fight that he took too soon.

LHW is shallow enough if he got 2 win streak after losing to Jan could be right back where he was.

 

[IronGolem007]

I guess I could see Pereira maybe lose to Jan, spend more time growing into LHW and winning the next fights and get a title. Could just be his transition fight that he took too soon.

LHW is shallow enough if he got 2 win streak after losing to Jan could be right back where he was.

Don't think Pereira is going to lose to the 40-year-old, 6'2" Jan, who says he wants to "test his striking" against Pereira.

 

[Fergelmince]

As everyone knows, Alex Pereira is fighting Jan Błachowicz shortly, on 07/29/23 @ UFC 291.

IMO, this is Pereira's do-or-die moment, his make-or-break step regarding his MMA future.

Losing to Błachowicz likely cripples Alex' future.
By contrast, devastating KO of Błachowicz re-ignites Pereira's future (besting Adesanya again, by KOing the first UFC guy who beat Izzy) ... not to mention setting-up a LHW title shot with the winner of Hill and Procházka.

Here is how they compare:

STATS:

Age:
Pereira = 35
Błachowicz = 40

Height:
Pereira = 6'4"
Błachowicz = 6'2"

Reach:
Pereira = 79"
Błachowicz = 78"

If Alex Pereira beats Jan Błachowicz, his next shot will be a LHW title, almost guaranteed.
And should he win that, this sets up an MMA trilogy between him and Adesanya, with a "second belt" on the line for Izzy, and for Alex to defend.

Obviously, there are a lot of "if-clauses" to this scenario, but it is the most exciting for the LHW division.

Thoughts?

This pretty much sums it up except for a loss crippling his future. I think the LHW division is so old and the talent falls off dramatically after the top 5, so there would be plenty of opportunity left for him should he lose.

 

[NoSmilez]

He isn’t a strong contender for longevity in MW or LHW division but he can capture the title with the right matchups.

 

[IronGolem007]

He isn’t a strong contender for longevity in MW or LHW division but he can capture the title with the right matchups.

I think he could clean out the MW division, just like the guy he beat did.

 

[Vegesus44]

Jan buy submission round 1.

I think he could clean out the MW division, just like the guy he beat did.

The cope continues...you are the coping KING

 

[IronGolem007]

Jan buy submission round 1.

Jan hasn't got a submission in five years; he thinks is a puncher with "Polish power" now.

He did just recently lose by submission, to Alex' trainer, Glover.

The cope continues...you are the coping KING

What am I "coping" with, exactly?

Sounds more like you're a drama queen, who can't just discuss an upcoming fight reasonably.

 

[Tweak896]

Don't think Pereira is going to lose to the 40-year-old, 6'2" Jan, who says he wants to "test his striking" against Pereira.

I think everyone is focusing on Pereira's wrestling and forgetting Jan's wrestling could not be what it was at 40 years old. As you get older your wrestling gets worse.

 

[Cpt Migraine]

I still quietly question poatans rise to the top.. he beat the champ by ko so no questions there..

But..

If adesanya was a robbie lawler type of guy and not his flamboyant, anime loving ass self sherdog would be up in arms over how pereira was fast tracked because a couple of ko's vs obviously inferior, undersized strikers..

Ie.. the moment he says/does anything (i mean anything) to trigger sherdog his legacy will look very, very thin..

 

[snaportap21]

I don't think so.

Even Izzy was surprised by Alex' sneaky leg kicks.

Also, Jan had the muscle to backup Izzy; not sure he'll be able to do that (at age 40) with a 205-lb Alex.

Don't forget, Alex can go back and forth with LHW Glory Kickboxing Champions (and flatline them), which is a level in which neither Jan nor Izzy could ever even be a contender.

Jan checked the vast majority of Izzy’s leg kicks. Jan is phenomenal at checking kicks far better than Izzy. Also, Sahak paraparyan walked alex down after a strong first round by alex. Alex was extremely lucky the fight only went 3 rounds. Alex is all offense no defense. He has serious defensive holes that are made up for by his natural attributes like his height and power. If his opponent can take his shots, Alex often ends up in very risky exchanges that he may have a tougher time dealing with because he doesn’t have large gloves to shell up behind. It’s one of the reasons Bruno Silva tagged him so much. Alex has all his stats for offense maxed out. I feel his defense will catch up to him the same way it did to kickboxers in mma like saki, and overeem.

 

[IronGolem007]

Jan checked the vast majority of Izzy’s leg kicks. Jan is phenomenal at checking kicks far better than Izzy. Also, Sahak paraparyan walked alex down after a strong first round by alex. Alex was extremely lucky the fight only went 3 rounds. Alex is all offense no defense. He has serious defensive holes that are made up for by his natural attributes like his height and power. If his opponent can take his shots, Alex often ends up in very risky exchanges that he may have a tougher time dealing with because he doesn’t have large gloves to shell up behind. It’s one of the reasons Bruno Silva tagged him so much. Alex has all his stats for offense maxed out. I feel his defense will catch up to him the same way it did to kickboxers in mma like saki, and overeem.

Good counter-analysis.
This could very well be true — his poor defense already caught up with him against Adesanya.