Tag: Alex Pereira

Alex Pereira, only man to finish Israel Adesanya, set to make debut at UFC 268

Glory kickboxing champion Alex Pereira will make his UFC debut in November.

Glory kickboxing champion [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] has put pen to paper.

Pereira (3-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), who holds two wins over UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in kickboxing, has officially signed to compete in the UFC.

On Wednesday, Pereira posted a video of his contract signing on Instagram.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTkQYXvlkKn/?utm_medium=copy_link

 

Although he did not announce his opponent, a source told MMA Junkie his first fight will be at middleweight against [autotag]Andreas Michailidis[/autotag] (13-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) at UFC 268 on Nov. 6.

A person with knowledge of the matchup confirmed the booking to MMA Junkie but asked to remain anonymous because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement. BJ Penn dot com was first to report the news.

The news of Pereira signing with the UFC was initially reported by The Telegraaf.

Pereira will compete in MMA for the fifth time. The 34-year-old Brazilian is 3-1, most recently scoring a devastating first-round knockout of Thomas Powell at LFA 95 in November.

With the addition, the UFC 268 lineup now includes:

  • Champion Kamaru Usman vs. Colby Covington – for welterweight title
  • Champion Rose Namajunas vs. Zhang Weili – for women’s strawweight title
  • Michael Chandler vs. Justin Gaethje
  • Luke Rockhold vs. Sean Strickland
  • Frankie Edgar vs. Marlon Vera
  • Nassourdine Imavov vs. Edmen Shahbazyan
  • Irene Aldana vs. Germaine de Randamie
  • Al Iaquinta vs. Bobby Green
  • Andreas Michailidis vs. Alex Pereira

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Spinning Back Clique: How will UFC lightweight division shake out with Khabib still champ?

Check out the latest episode of Spinning Back Clique unpacking UFC 255, the lightweight division’s outlook, and more.

Welcome to “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly show that takes a quick spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. This week, Simon Head hosts the panel of MMA Junkie Radio’s “Gorgeous” George,” as well as MMA Junkie’s John Morgan and Mike Bohn. Let’s get after it!

SHOW TOPICS

  • UFC flyweight champion [autotag]Deiveson Figueiredo[/autotag] needed less than two minutes to submit Alex Perez, and the promotion has wasted no time in booking his next title defense. Figueiredo will take on fellow UFC 255 winner [autotag]Brandon Moreno[/autotag] on Dec. 12 at UFC 256, marking a 21-day turnaround for both men. Is this a good idea? And which fighter stands to benefit the most from the short lead time?
  • The other title fight this past Saturday saw UFC women’s flyweight champion [autotag]Valentina Shevchenko[/autotag] defend her title against Jennifer Maia. After her victory, UFC president Dana White mentioned three potential matchups next, with Jessica Andrade, Zhang Weili and, possibly, Amanda Nunes all mentioned. Which bout makes the most sense, and where does the in-form Lauren Murphy fit into all of this?
  • UFC 255 also saw the return to action of “Platinum” [autotag]Mike Perry[/autotag], who lost out on the scorecards to Tim Means after an entertaining back-and-forth battle. Perry is now 7-7 in the UFC and missed weight by 4.5 pounds last week. Given all that’s gone on with Perry, how do you assess his status in the UFC right now, and what should come next at this stage in his career?
  • Business is picking up once again in the UFC lightweight division, with [autotag]Dustin Poirier[/autotag] and [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] officially set to rematch Jan. 23 at UFC 257, while [autotag]Tony Ferguson[/autotag] returns to fight [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] on Dec. 12 at UFC 256. It means some of the big guns of the division will be facing off, but what’s going on with the title? [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] says he’s retired, but White is hanging on to the possibility that the champ might come back for one more fight. How will this all shake out in the coming months?
  • And finally, we had a ton of non-UFC action on the slate last week, with outstanding performances delivered by the likes of [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag] (Bellator 253), [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] (LFA 95) and PFL champ [autotag]Kayla Harrison[/autotag] (Invicta FC 43). To wrap things up, who among those three impressed the most?

For answers to all of those questions, watch Episode 54 of “Spinning Back Clique” above.

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Video: Glory champ Alex Pereira delivers terrifying knockout at LFA 95

Alex Pereira knocked Israel Adesanya out on kickboxing and now he’s delivering big finishes in MMA as well.

[autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] is already known in the MMA business as the man who knocked out current UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in kickboxing.

And now Pereira (3-1) is crossing his knockout power over to another combat sport. The current Glory middleweight and interim light heavyweight champion delivered one of the most terrifying knockouts you’ll ever see in the cage Friday night in the main event of LFA 95 in Park City, Kansas.

Pereira used a pinpoint left hook to knock overmatched opponent Thomas Powell cold at the 4:04 mark of the opening round.

The Brazilian’s perfectly delivered left hook landed flush on the ear. Powell immediately face planted forward, with his head taking the brunt of the impact on the mat.

Powell was unconscious for several minutes, leaving the commentary team in hushed tones. Fortunately Powell eventually woke up, and ultimately left the cage under his own power.

This was the first MMA bout since 2016 for Pereira, who trains MMA with Glover Teixeira in Danbury, Conn. He’s twice defeated Adesanya, earning a decision in 2016 and a KO in 2017.

“I’m very happy to be in MMA,” Pereira said through an interpreter. “I’ve been training with Glover Teixeira for 3-4 months and I’m happy with the results.”

You can see the knockout below:

Combat Rewind, May 17: The guy who knocked out Israel Adesanya is back

Check out the best highlights from this day in history with MMA Junkie’s “Combat Rewind.”

There’s “Flashback Friday” and “Throwback Thursday” (and Tuesday, too, if you want). But at MMA Junkie, we figured why not expand that to every day?

“Combat Rewind” brings you some of combat sports’ best highlights from every calendar day of the year. It’s a look back at history, courtesy of the UFC Fight Pass archives, featuring stellar finishes and classic moments in MMA and beyond on their anniversaries.

So kick back and relive the following bits of greatness in the video above:

Fight footage courtesy of UFC Fight Pass, the UFC’s official digital subscription service, which is currently offering a seven-day free trial. UFC Fight Pass gives fans access to exclusive live UFC events and fights, exclusive live MMA and combat sports events from around the world, exclusive original and behind the scenes content and unprecedented 24-7 access to the world’s biggest fight library.

MMA Junkie Radio #3012: Reaction to Bellator Hawaii doubleheader, UFC on ESPN+ 23

Hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” unpack a trifecta of major MMA events and react to the latest news and notes.

Monday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with hosts “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here!

On Episode No. 3,012 of the podcast, the guys unpack a trifecta of major events from the weekend, with Bellator 235 and 236 in Honolulu, as well as UFC on ESPN+ 23 in Busan, South Korea. The guys also react to the latest news and notes.

THE RUNDOWN:

  • The weekend got off to a bad start for Bellator, with former UFC heavyweight champion [autotag]Josh Barnett[/autotag] forced to withdraw hours before the Bellator 235 headliner because of illness. When and where should Barnett vs. Ronny Markes take place now?
  • At UFC on ESPN+ 23, [autotag]Chan Sung Jung[/autotag] took care of business in a big way with a first-round TKO finish of ex-lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. Did “The Korean Zombie” do enough to shake up plans of title rematch between Alexander Volkanovski and Max Holloway? Are you warm to the idea of a No. 1 contender fight against [autotag]Zabit Magomedsharipov[/autotag]?
  • At Bellator 236, [autotag]Ilima-Lei Macfarlane[/autotag] retained her flyweight title with a dominant performance against Kate Jackson, and [autotag]A.J. McKee[/autotag] advanced to the semifinals of the featherweight grand prix with a submission of Derek Campos. The guys weigh in on both outcomes and more from the card.
  • [autotag]Kevin Lee[/autotag] gave an endorsement speech of Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders at a rally in Las Vegas. Pretty cool?
  • [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag], the Glory Kickboxing middleweight champion better known as the guy who knocked out Israel Adesanya, wants to fight MMA. Are you into it?
  • [autotag]Dillon Danis[/autotag] has his next fight lined up for Jan. 25 at Bellator 238. Is this guy a star for the promotion?
  • It sure does seem like [autotag]Jorge Masvidal[/autotag] would rather fight [autotag]Conor McGregor[/autotag] instead of receive a welterweight title shot vs. Kamaru Usman. Does this make sense?
  • Former Bellator champion [autotag]Rory MacDonald[/autotag] left the promotion to sign with PFL. Good or bad move for him?

Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at AudioBoom, or check it out above. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.

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Video: Alex Pereira, the guy who knocked out Israel Adesanya, scores brutal kickboxing finish

Alex Pereira, you have the MMA world’s attention.

It’s not often we post about combat sports other than MMA here at The Blue Corner, but [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag] has our attention.

That’s because Pereira, the Glory Kickboxing middleweight champion, is better known to us as the man who knocked out reigning UFC middleweight champ Israel Adesanya.

On Saturday at Glory 74, Pereira wowed us yet again with this devastating left-hook knockout that sent his opponent crashing through the ropes.

Check this out:

The finish marks the 32-year-old Brazilian’s eighth consecutive victory, and it certainly has us buzzing even more about his move to MMA – which Pereira told MMA Junkie’s John Morgan this week isn’t a matter of “if” but rather “when.”

If you haven’t seen Pereira’s knockout of Adesanya in March 2017, it’s worth noting that a left hook also finished “The Last Stylebender.”

That’s one lethal left hand.

The Blue Corner is MMA Junkie’s blog space. We don’t take it overly serious, and neither should you. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS.

The guy who knocked out Israel Adesanya says he can do it again – but in UFC

Even if you’re not a kickboxing fan, you may have heard the name Alex Pereira. If you haven’t, that might soon change.

Even if you’re not a kickboxing fan, you may have heard the name [autotag]Alex Pereira[/autotag].

If you have, it’s not likely because he’s the current reigning GLORY middleweight and interim light heavyweight champion, though that would be reason enough. No, in MMA circles, Pereira is best known as the man who knocked out [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag].

“For the sport of MMA, Adesanya is one of the best strikers in the sport, but for kickboxing, he is like many others – a guy that’s good, but over a long time didn’t evolve,” Pereira told MMA Junkie through an interpreter. “He’s just one of many.

“I’m not criticizing Adesanya. I know that when you go to MMA, it’s normal that your striking, due to the wholeness of the game, it downgrades a little bit. I’m sure when I go to MMA, my striking is also going to go down a little bit, so maybe that’s what happened to Adesanya, too.”

The current UFC middleweight champion, Adesanya had a long and storied career in kickboxing before making the transition to MMA. The run included a pair of bouts against Pereira, who took home a decision win in 2016 before scoring a one-punch knockout in their 2017 rematch. Adesanya turned his full attention to MMA shortly after and made his UFC debut within a year.

The key word in terms of Pereira’s future in MMA? “When.”

Notice he didn’t say “if.”

The 32-year-old Brazilian said he’s happy with his current GLORY deal but also continues to prepare for a potential move to MMA, as well.

“I train all the disciplines every day,” Pereira said. “You never know about the future. I’m not the boss. I’m the employee. GLORY, I don’t know what they want. Maybe they’re going to come tomorrow and say, ‘We don’t need you anymore.’ I’m ready for anywhere, anytime, any fighting style – that includes MMA, too.

“GLORY is doing a great job right now. I’m really happy with the organization and with the contract I have, which runs through 2021. But also, in this contract, I’m allowed to fight two MMA fights per year, even being under the GLORY banner, so the doors are not closed for the future. You never know what’s going to happen tomorrow. It’s just got to make sense.”

GLORY CEO Marshall Zelaznik believes Pereira’s confidence is well-deserved. A longtime UFC exec, Zelaznik now helms the kickboxing promotion and believes Pereira is a special commodity.

“Alex has a very credible claim to being the most dangerous – and most cerebral – striker in all of combat sports,” Zelaznik said. “He makes the fifth defense of his middleweight title this Saturday at our massive event in the Netherlands, and making it to a fifth defense is hard enough. But he’s also coming into the fight as GLORY’s first ever champ-champ, having knocked out No. 1-ranked Donegi Abena to win the interim light heavyweight belt.

“Alex is a next-level talent; there is no question of that. When it comes to striking, there’s no one in the world he doesn’t believe he can defeat.”

Pereira (31-6 kickboxing) takes on Turkey’s Ertugrul Bayrak (18-6 kickboxing) at Saturday’s GLORY 74 event, which streams live on UFC Fight Pass from the 30,000-seat GelreDome in Arnhem, Netherlands, and leads into “GLORY Collision 2: Rico vs. Badr,” a massive rematch between two kickboxing legends.

Fitting nicely in the day’s combat sports schedule between UFC on ESPN+ 23 from South Korea and Bellator 236 in Hawaii, Pereira hopes MMA fans will take the time to check out GLORY, if they haven’t done so before.

“We all know that there are MMA fans and kickboxing fans, but nobody likes to just watch grinding,” Pereira said. “Everybody definitely enjoys seeing knockouts. With kickboxing, you already know the knockout is going to happen, and by the way I’m fighting, I’m looking for the knockout every second of the fight. There’s no better reason to watch than just to see the bodies hit the floor.”

Pereira certainly has options. His name is quickly building steam in kickboxing circles, but with each win that the undefeated Adesanya notches, there are sure to be calls to bring out the man that beat him before.

Pereira said he’ll be waiting.

“The only place in this world that Adesanya is better than me is in speaking English,” Pereira said.