UFC 307: Delta Center; Salt Lake City, Utah
He almost had it… till he didn’t. And fighting at altitude really can’t be blamed because Khalil Rountree had gotten used to it. But the gameplan was there versus Alex Pereira. He came at him, forcing Pereira to not use some of his weapons in his arsenal. But after melting the challenger in a fight he was losing, the team has to be wondering, what to do with the 37-year old Brazilian next.
Pereira won’t make a return trip to 185 as Sean Strickland is chasing the belt. He’s handling things at 205. But the question remains, because fans across the board are licking their chops at the thought of him at heavyweight.
To make that move moreso than any other divisional move it has to be done smartly. Heavyweight is the land of giants. And if we are being completely honest about things, there are still some things Pereira can improve on. Things that right now can be exposed a division up.
He continues to at least early struggle with southpaws. The ground game is still not at the level of his striking. At least he stopped biting on feints. He’s been pressured and chinned. First by Israel Adesanya, and now by Rountree. Can that jaw handle the dynamite from the bigger guns? It’s the thing that makes fantasy sports fun. But by the time a move is ready, both Jon Jones and Stipe Miocic might no longer be fighting.
Tom Aspinall has the speed that would give him some issues. But the Englishman has never had to deal with someone like Pereira. Frankly, if there was a time for a cross over, it would be now. Renan Ferreira is bigger, faster, and is better in the clinch.
What To Do With This Much Talent
The mark of greatness is when one thing is taken from you, you have multiple things to fall back on. That’s something going for Pereira. He had to go back to countering and using a measured jab, then build up from there. Only then was he able to fully breakdown Rountree.
Now if the final decision is to stay at light heavyweight and continue to clear it out, what should be next will be another interesting test. Should Magomed Ankalaev get through Aleksandar Rakic it will be him. The Dagestani does have lights out power, and is very defensively sound. But there are flaws. There’s lack of a kicking game, which won’t slow Pereira down. He does not throw volume. He’s more a precision striker. And he’s yet to be under the brightest of lights. Plus he’s a rarity. A Dagestani that doesn’t utilize a significant grappling game.
As good of a scrap as that might be, Pereira might just have too many weapons. By the middle of next week you can safely assume the team in Danbury Connecticut will figure out what they want to do with the fighter that has at times saved the UFC. After all, three defenses in seven months should get you what you want.
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