UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis may have his focus firmly on his UFC 305 date with former champion Israel Adesanya, but the South African keeps a close eye on all the happenings in the UFC, and reserved special praise for a former 185-pound champion.
Alex Pereira TKO’d Adesanya to capture the undisputed middleweight title at UFC 281 back in November 2022, but after his defeat to “The Last Stylebender” in their rematch five months later at UFC 287, “Poatan” moved up to light heavyweight and hasn’t looked back.
The Brazilian edged a split decision over Jan Blachowicz on his divisional debut, then TKO’d former champ Jiri Prochazka to capture the vacant light heavyweight title at UFC 295. He followed up that success with a first-round knockout of another ex-champion, Jamahal Hill, at UFC 300 before rematching, and repeating against Prochazka at UFC 303 last weekend.
Pereira’s remarkable rise from two-division GLORY kickboxing world champion to two division UFC world champion has earned nothing but respect from Du Plessis, who said that the Brazilian’s accomplishments have already placed him among the sport’s all-time greats.
“Let me just go and say that man is an absolute monster! What he’s done in a short period of time in this sport, how can you not be a fan?” he told Submission Radio after the UFC 305 kick-off press conference in Australia.
“That guy, in three years, got himself a spot in the Hall of Fame, in my opinion, for sure. And in combat sports, (he’s) probably one of the greatest combat sports athletes to ever live.”
Du Plessis paid tribute to Pereira not just for his successes inside the Octagon, but for also doing so in such a quick space of time after making his debut in only his fifth pro MMA fight.
“What he’s done, he came in the UFC and everybody goes, ‘He’s just a striker. He doesn’t have the background in terms of mixed martial arts. Too short of a career before the UFC.’ And he comes in and does the things do short of a career before the UFC. And he comes in and he does the thing (he’s done),” said Du Plessis.
“Whenever he’s asked to (take) short notice fights, and (he) just looks better, every single fight. That guy is an absolute beast, and I’m a massive fan of Alex Pereira. The way he fights, anybody in the world, you can’t look at that guy and go, ‘Um, yeah, no.’ Scary, scary, dude.”
With Du Plessis and Pereira only one division apart, the potential is there for a future bout between the pair. But, with Du Plessis still a newly-crowned champion, he said that he has business to deal with by establishing himself as a dominant champ at 185 pounds before he can think about jumping up a division to face “Poatan”.
“Looking at him, right now, where I’m at in my career, it’s not a concern for me,” he said.
“Yes, I’m keeping an eye. I’m keeping an eye on every division. But right now, my focus is (at middleweight).
“At the end of the day, my priority is defending this middleweight title, up until I’m done defending this title, up until it doesn’t make sense any more, and it only makes sense to go up to light heavyweight.
“I don’t know how long he’s gonna be around any more, but it doesn’t even matter. If that guy retires tomorrow, he’s going down as one of the all-time greats, in my opinion. He is an amazing fighter.”
