Following his defeat against arch-rival Israel Adesanya, former two-division kickboxing champ Alex Pereira has bounced back with a spectacular win against Jan Blachowicz, reigniting the question of when he might secure a title shot in his new division.
At UFC 291, held at the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah, Pereira made his light heavyweight debut in the main event, co-headlining the card featuring Poirier vs. Gaethje 2.
Alex Pereira defeats Jan Blachowicz
Pereira’s victory against the Polish fighter was impressive, but some believe it could have gone either way, making it a close call. Fans are now excited to see how quickly he can advance in the light heavyweight division and potentially earn a title shot in the future.
With the win against Jan Blachowicz, Pereira is on a promising path toward title contention in his new weight class. In the light heavyweight division, he could face tough challenges from the likes of Jiri Prochazka and Magomedov Ankalaev, who hold the top two spots and pose significant threats to Pereira’s rise.
Alex Pereira was on target in his LHW debut win 🎯 #UFC291 pic.twitter.com/4CHRUnlbzd
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) July 30, 2023
In April, Pereira had a showdown with his long-standing rival, Israel Adesanya, in the middleweight title bout. Unfortunately, Pereira couldn’t retain his title against The Last Stylebender and subsequently opted to transition to the light heavyweight division.
Will Alex Pereira get a title shot after victory over Jan Blachowicz?
The light heavyweight division has gone through continuous instability since Jon Jones’s departure from the throne nearly three years ago. Recently, Jamahal Hill, the most recent title holder, suffered a shocking Achilles tendon injury, leading him to vacate the title and undergo surgery and rehabilitation.
Jiri Prochazka vs. Alex Pereira has so much going for it:
âś… Two of the most dynamic, potent strikers in MMA
âś… Prochazka won a UFC title in 3 UFC fights
âś… Pereira won a UFC title in 4 UFC fights
âś… Prochazka beat Pereira's mentor Glover Texieira to win the UFC title in the 2022… pic.twitter.com/d5QaPfpmhJ— Shakiel Mahjouri (@Shak_Fu) July 30, 2023
Hill was supposed to face Jiri Prochazka in a highly anticipated five-round title fight at a UFC pay-per-view this year. However, due to the injury, the fight had to be canceled.
As per the latest rumors, Jiri was in talks to face the winner of the Alex Pereira vs. Jan Blachowicz fight. With Pereira’s victory, it’s intriguing to see if Poatan will get a title shot against Prochazka later this year. As the title is currently vacant, Pereira might get a quick title shot against the Czech in the near future.
Alex Pereira earns a split decision at #UFC291, leaving Jan Blachowicz in shock. pic.twitter.com/h0YFMyWbPT
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) July 30, 2023
Who do you think will face Jiri Prochazka for the vacant light heavyweight title? Alex Pereira or Magomed Ankalaev? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section.
