Title: Upcoming Bout for UFC Champion Alex Pereira: Latest Details Unveiled
In the heated realm of MMA, Alex Pereira, the reigning UFC light heavyweight champ, has been the talk of the town after an exceptional 2024. His upcoming bout has piqued the interest of many in the MMA community. However, whispers of a move to heavyweight to square off against Alexander Volkov have been debunked by credible journalist Ariel Helwani.
Sources close to the situation, as reported by Helwani, dispel the notion of Pereira's transition to heavyweight anytime soon. Instead, the plan is for Pereira to tangle with Magomed Ankalaev, currently ranked No. 1 in the UFC's light heavyweight division.
The initial hype surrounding a Volkov matchup stemmed from feelings that Volkov was unfairly treated in his last bout against Ciryl Gane at UFC 310. Though a rematch may be in play for Volkov at a later date, the focus currently revolves around Pereira versus Ankalaev.
Helwani's reports carry significant weight, making it more a question of how the encounter between Pereira and Ankalaev can manifest instead of pondering over whether it will happen or not.
Pereira has set his sights on a March return, potentially on the 8th at UFC 313 in Las Vegas's T-Mobile Arena. However, this timeline leaves Ankalaev in a challenging predicament. Ankalaev is a devout Muslim, and competing on March 8 would see him enduring Ramadan while preparing for his career-defining fight.
Depending on circumstances, Ankalaev might have been given an ultimatum to participate in March or face the possibility of a different opponent emerging. Dodging this March fight could jeopardize his title shot later in the year.
Pereira's most recent outing saw him claim a unanimous decision victory over Aleksandr Rakic in October. He is undoubtedly the most suitable contender for Pereira's title, however, his physical readiness remains to be seen when facing the champion at the top of his game.
Within the next fortnight, we might anticipate more substantial information regarding Pereira's status. This revelation could surface as early as next Saturday during UFC 311.
Moving on to this weekend's event, UFC Vegas 101, the UFC returns with an intriguing card. Despite two weigh-ins misses, every contest is scheduled to proceed. Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas will meet again in the main event, following their 2019 encounter that resulted in a Ribas unanimous decision victory.
Here's a breakdown of the card complete with the weigh-in results:
- Mackenzie Dern (116) vs. Amanda Ribas (116)
- Santiago Ponzinibbio (171) vs. Carlston Harris (170)
- Abdul Razak Alhassan (185.5) vs. Cesar Almeida (185.5)
- Chris Curtis (185.5) vs. Roman Kopylov (185.5)
- Christian Rodriguez (145) vs. Austin Bashi (145.5)
- Uros Medic (171) vs. Punahele Soriano (171)
- Jose Johnson (128.5)* vs. Felipe Bunes (126)
- Marco Tulio (185.5) vs. Ihor Potieria (188)*
- Thiago Moises (155.5) vs. Trey Ogden (155.5)
- Preston Parsons (171) vs. Jacobe Smith (170.5)
- Ernesta Kareckaite (126) vs. Nicolle Caliari (125.5)
- Magomed Gadzhiyasulov (205) vs. Bruno Lopes (205.5)
- Fatima Kline (116) vs. Viktoriia Dudakova (116)
- Nurullo Aliev (155.5) vs. Joe Solecki (155)
*Missed weight
Pereira's next fight against Magomed Ankalaev is scheduled for UFC 313 on March 8, but Ankalaev's participation could be affected by Ramadan. Despite rumors of a heavyweight matchup against Alexander Volkov, Pereira will be defending his title in the light heavyweight division.
The UFC 311 event, happening in the near future, might provide more details about Pereira's status and potential opponents. In this upcoming event, Mackenzie Dern and Amanda Ribas will face off again in the main event.
Despite two misses at the weigh-ins, all matches in UFC Vegas 101 are still set to take place, including the rematch between Dern and Ribas.
