Alex Pereira WARNED by middleweight legend on dropping weight to fight Dricus du Plessis

Alex Pereira shocked the internet when he challenged Dricus Du Plessis post-UFC 307. ‘Poatan’ went as far as to suggest that the UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis was afraid to face him in the octagon. Now, one of the prime contenders in line for the title, Robert Whittaker, shared his thoughts on ‘Poatan’s potential return to the 185 lbs weight class. Here is what happened:

Robert Whittaker recently sat down for a conversation on Submission Radio. During their discussion, Whittaker expressed concerns about Alex Pereira potentially dropping back down to middleweight to fight Dricus du Plessis. Being a former middleweight champion himself, he believes this could be a risky move for Pereira. 

Honestly I don’t think that’s a good fight for… Alex gets hit, and Dricus likes getting hit.
Robert Whittaker on Submission Radio

Whittaker pointed out the challenges Pereira would face in readjusting to the lower weight class after fighting at light heavyweight. Additionally, he noted that Du Plessis’s power and awkward style could pose significant problems for Pereira, who is known to take hits. 

Analysts like Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen have commented on the potential matchup. They noted that Du Plessis’ style, particularly his wrestling and striking abilities, could pose significant challenges for Pereira. Sonnen even suggested that Du Plessis might be the “wrong guy” for Pereira to mess with.

Dana White addresses controversy behind Alex Pereira vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. matchup

Dana White recently addressed the decision to have Alex Pereira fight Khalil Rountree Jr. instead of Magomed Ankalaev. The matchup has stirred some controversy on whether the UFC was protecting its star contender from an actual challenge in the octagon. 

Dana White on Alex Pereira vs Khalil Rountree Jr controversy (Image via Imago)

White explained that “timing is everything” in making these matchups. He noted that Ankalaev already had a fight scheduled, and the timing worked out better for Pereira to face Rountree Jr. White also emphasized that the Pereira-Rountree fight made sense in terms of entertainment value and fitting into the current fight calendar.

We had to make this fight card and as you go down the line you start looking at it, it’s clear Rountree makes a lot of sense and you said it yourself, ‘No way in hell that’s not a fun one.’ Timing is everything.
Dana White in a presser for Dana White’s Contender Series