Evolving from being one of the top contenders in the light heavyweight arena, Alex Pereira now seeks to amend a single loss from his kickboxing past. Artem Vakhitov, the lone individual to best Pereira in a kickboxing face-off, found his way into the UFC following a triumphant knockout victory over Islem Masraf on ‘Dana White’s Contender Series.’ Post-match, a determined Pereira made an impassioned appeal to Dana White, beseeching him to extend a contract to his past nemesis.
Rising to be an international sensation by headlining the majority of the year’s significant PPVs, Pereira went on to notch one of the most influential victories of his professional career against Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307. However, rather than resting on his laurels, Pereira shifted his focus to securing a UFC contract for Artem Vakhitov.
Vakhitov’s victorious performance was defined by a swift and decisive knockout in the initial round. This performance convinced UFC’s presiding authority, Dana White, to broaden the organization’s talent pool to include the Russian fighter. This decision hinged largely on a persuasive dialog with Pereira.
Addressing the media during a post-match press briefing, White echoed Pereira’s sentiment, stating ‘He [Pereira] expressed his perspective. He’s of the view that Vakhitov carries a certain level of talent. He feels Vakhitov has a rightful place in UFC given his rich fighting history.’
Embodying good sportsmanship, ‘Poatan’ was spotted at the Contender Series event, taking the time to personally congratulate his ex-rival Artem Vakhitov on his well-deserved win. Similarly, Vakhitov reciprocated Pereira’s good gesture by acknowledging the latter’s impressive achievements in MMA in recent years.
Pereira’s ascendancy in the light heavyweight division remains unchallenged bagging his third successive victory and celebrated his third title defense this year. Amidst the adrenaline-laden cheers of the crowd, ‘Poatan’ trounced his opponent Khalil Rountree by way of a TKO in the fourth round, thus preserving his unbroken winning streak in the division.
In the opening rounds, Pereira endured punishing hits from Rountree Jr. Yet, he held his ground calmly, waiting for Rountree to exhaust his energy. As his opponent grew visibly fatigued, Pereira pounced on the opportunity, switching the momentum in his favor.
With Pereira currently at the apex of his career, conjectures are rife about who his next opponent could be; a situation that’s adding an element of suspense and keeping his fans on tenterhooks.