Imago
Credit: IMAGO
Imago
Credit: IMAGO
Dana White took the MMA world by storm when he announced that October is going to be all fireworks. UFC 320 will feature Alex Pereira’s return against Magomed Ankalaev, and UFC 321 will mark Tom Aspinall’s move past Jon Jones to take on Ciryl Gane after a year-long wait. Naturally, the hype around both fights has been massive. However, ‘Poatan’s return has come with a fair share of questions ever since the bout was made official.
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Can Pereira conquer the challenge that halted him at UFC 313? Doubt began to creep in the moment the rematch was announced. It brings up a crucial issue: what happens if another defeat here harms both the Brazilian fighter and the promotion? Chael Sonnen weighed in on Dana White’s decision, pointing to the UFC president’s consistent philosophy of putting “the best against the best,” even when it risks sacrificing one of the company’s top stars. Jiri Prochazka has been named as the official backup fighter for UFC 320, meaning if either Pereira or Ankalaev is forced out, the event could pivot into a third trilogy bout between Pereira and Prochazka—an intriguing twist given Pereira holds a 2‑0 edge over him to date.
Sonnen referenced Sean O’Malley’s recent loss to Merab Dvalishvili, which arguably took a hit on his momentum and star power.
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On the Bohn Fire podcast, ‘The Bad Guy’ stated, “He knew Ankalaev was a nightmare of a matchup for his biggest draw, and he just lost O’Malley. I mean, he just got O’Malley beat in what we knew was gonna be a hard matchup. He went in and did it again. Oh, by the way, nobody asked for this rematch.”
So then, if not Ankalaev, what should Pereira have done? Turns out, not many are eager to fight ‘Poatan.’ But Submission Radio came out with an interesting alternative. In a recent podcast, host Denis Shkuratov and guests Luke Noseda and Jed Meshew discussed the idea of Pereira moving up to heavyweight and fighting Tom Aspinall as a potentially smarter route.
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Credits: Imago
Shkuratov voiced concern over the risk of Pereira spiraling into a losing streak. “If he won, we got our star back! Let’s get him the f— out of this division before things f— up and someone like an Ulberg comes in and beats him. Do you know what I mean? Like the heavyweight—and then he can lose a few times. Who cares?” The take got a nod of agreement from the panel.
However, Jed Meshew brought up a compelling point: “My understanding is that Alex really wanted it. That is like what I’m hearing—Alex really wanted to beat Magomed, because he believes he can.” And honestly, that might be true based on how Pereira looked in the rematch. The former 205-pound champ successfully defended every takedown (14) Ankalaev attempted, even though he lost the fight. A bit more aggression, and the outcome might’ve flipped the decision.
That’s what makes this rematch so intriguing is to see whether the Brazilian makes the right adjustments and reclaim the belt. And let’s not forget that legendary left hook of his. The one that turned even some of the most respected names in combat sports into fans. So, let’s dive into that.
Teddy Atlas praises Alex Pereira’s left hook to be the best in the business
‘Poatan’ sending fighters into the shadow realm with his infamous left hook has become a landmark moment for others trying to master the same technique. Pereira has cracked names like Sean Strickland, Israel Adesanya, Jamahal Hill, and Jiri Prochazka with that very punch. Turning it into his signature weapon. And it’s that same punch that made Teddy Atlas a fan.
The legendary boxing coach told MMA Knockout, “I think that Pereira has the best left hook. He has a good left hook, whether it’s a counter left hook or a lead left hook. It is short, it is powerful, it is accurate, it is beautiful. Pereira’s got as good a left hook as you can ever see.”
And honestly, that couldn’t be more accurate. Alex Pereira’s left hook has built its own cult following at this point. The former two-time Glory Kickboxing champ has practically made a career out of it. So much so that it often overshadows some of the shortcomings in his MMA game.
Tom Aspinall was elevated to undisputed heavyweight king only after Jon Jones retired in mid‑2025, making UFC 321 his first defense—and if Pereira loses again, Dana White has hinted at a potential heavyweight crossover fight between the two. In that light, Pereira staying at light heavyweight or risking heavyweight status carries broader implications for the division’s future.
With all that said, do you think Pereira will reclaim his throne at UFC 320? Or was a move to heavyweight the smarter play, especially considering he recently tipped the scale right at the limit? Drop your thoughts below!
Written by
Edited by
Jyotsna Rai