“He’s a Dangerous Guy, Very Tough”- Alex Pereira Targeting an All-Out Brawl Against Sean Strickland at UFC 276

Posted on by Matt James

Israel Adesanya’s biggest rival, Alex Pereira, spoke out on MMA Fighting’s podcast and talked about his upcoming UFC 276 bout. Pereira is set to face Sean Strickland on the main card of UFC 276 and he’s looking to make a massive statement that will set him up for a title shot.

UFC 276 is also the same night where Israel Adesanya will look to defend his belt against Jared Cannonier in an all-action bout. This leaves the door wide open for Alex Pereira to make a massive move and solidify himself as the next contender in line despite a short UFC stint.

Read More: Luke Rockhold Gives Jared Cannonier a ‘20% Chance’ Against Israel Adesanya: “He’s Got a Puncher’s Chance”

Alex Pereira wants to stretch it out in a brawl against Sean Strickland

Alex Pereira is a two-time GLORY kickboxing champion, and his skill set in the striking department is virtually unmatched. However, ‘Poatan’ revealed he’s not chasing the knockout against Strickland, and instead wants to lace up the gloves and go to war.

Pereira looks at the bout against Strickland as an opportunity to grow and truly equip himself for a potential five-round scrap that awaits him. Moreover, given his kickboxing credentials, Pereira will be well suited to testing himself on the mat.

“Honestly, I’m not thinking about a knockout,” Pereira said on this week’s episode of MMA Fighting podcast. “If it’s a fight [that ends] by decision, winning clearly, I’d prefer it. I want feel [the fight], you know? Just like the [Bruno Santos] fight — three rounds, a war, him trying to take me down and myself defending it. If I get taken down, I’m getting back up and maybe taking him down as well.”

“He’s a dangerous guy, very tough,” Pereira said of Strickland. “But, with my fighting style, I think it’s a great fight for me. He comes forward willing to engage, you know? He wants to win. That motivates me a lot. I think my technique could be better than his.” [h/t mmafighting.com]

If both Adesanya and Pereira win their respective bouts at UFC 276, it’s highly likely that the UFC will look to fast-track a fight between them. Both men share a history of competition and Alex Pereira is the only man to cleanly knockout ‘The Last Stylebender’.