The legendary UFC heavyweight champion is convinced of Alex Pereira’s chances for three belts, but calls the fighter who can become his ‘Achilles heel’

Legendary MMA fighter Bas Rutten sees three-division success in the future of Alex Pereira. 

The new UFC Light Heavyweight Champion has cemented himself as one of the UFC’s most impressive combatants, bouncing back from his middleweight title loss to Israel Adesanya earlier this year with immediate 205lbs success. Tall and rangy, Alex Pereira has looked noticeably larger than the opposition in both divisions he’s competed in. 

It appears ‘Poatan’ and his coaches have noticed this, as rumblings of him eventually moving up to the heavy-handed chaos of the 265lbs division have begun bubbling to the surface. 

“He Can Do It In Heavyweight” – Bas Rutten On Alex Pereira

During a recent interview with Submission Radio, former UFC Heavyweight Champion Bas Rutten revealed he can see Alex Pereira pulling off success at heavyweight. However, he also sees a potential roadblock in the form of injured current heavyweight kingpin Jon Jones. 

“Yes, he can do it in everything, he can do it in heavyweight,” Rutten asserted. “Imagine him versus Jon Jones, how bad-ass fight that will be. The thing is, though, Jones is very- he’s a very smart guy, he’s very methodical in everything he does, and he will not let his ego rule his actions, and what I’m trying to say that if they Jon Jones, ‘Oh, you should not strike with him, you should not strike with him because he’s way too good of a striker.’ Normal fighters, they’re going to strike with him because they want to prove to everybody that it’s a better striker. Why would you take the risk, you know? Against a guy like Pereira, I mean, he connects, the fight is over.”

Rutten went on to highlight Jones’ wrestling ability. As a career kickboxer, Alex Pereira’s wrestling and grappling is arguably his kryptonite in the Octagon. Earlier this year, Jones used his powerful wrestling to dominantly submit another kickboxing master in Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. 

“So Jon Jones, if he fought Pereira, 100 per cent is going to go for takedowns,” Rutten explained. “And that’s the only person now I would think, not just Jon Jones, but a person with really great wrestling skills who can put him on his back. I think that will be his Achilles heel for now.”