Alex Pereira is perhaps the biggest active superstar in the sport of MMA at the moment. After all, the Brazilian light heavyweight champion won two titles since joining the promotion in 2021, and did it in just 14 professional fights.
The Brazilian, of course, has defended his title thrice over the past year (which is a UFC record) and is taking a well-needed break from fighting. To unwind and cool off, the Brazilian is on a tour of South Korea, where he was welcomed by roaring crowds right at the airport.
But it’s not just the people of South Korea who are excited at Alex Pereira coming to the country. South Korean film royalty, Don Lee, known for his roles in global smash hits like ‘Train to Busan’, and the MCU film ‘Eternals’ also spent some quality time with the UFC superstar.
In fact, Lee engaged in a series of combat sports-related activities with the UFC champ, which the film star posted on his social media. ‘Poatan’ and Don Lee engaged in a friendly competition on a punching machine. Of course, Pereira holds the record for the hardest punch ever recorded at the UFC PI, and absolutely smashed the punching machine in South Korea, too, scoring over 8,000 points.
Lee went second, and also hit the bag with impressive force, but the video cut off before his score was displayed. In the video it does seem that the actor managed to outscore ‘Poatan’, but that isn’t clear since the clip ends before the final score is displayed. Of course, Alex Pereira is having a good time in South Korea at the moment, but has some tough decisions to make in the near future that could define how he is remembered in the annals of MMA.
Alex Pereira wants three-division champion status
UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones wants to fight Alex Pereira. And the feeling is quite mutual for the Brazilian fighter too. ‘Poatan’ has repeatedly called on Dana White to let him move up to heavyweight and fight for the title there, not to mention a shot at becoming the UFC’s first-ever three division champion.
While Dana White had been totally against the idea previously, things seem to have changed this past weekend. After Jones defeated Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, the UFC boss told reporters that while he still is against a Jones-Periera clash, he may be convinced to make that fight if he is ‘hounded’ by both men to do so.
We know where Jones stands on that front. If Alex Pereira asks Dana White for a shot at Jones and the heavyweight title enough times, he may well get that fight. The more important question in this case is if ‘Poatan’ should take that fight. While it would undoubtedly make him astronomical amounts of money, he is smaller than this version of ‘Bones’, and doesn’t have much of a ground game to nullify that of Jones.
On the other hand, he has the opportunity to not only become a three-division champ, but also beat the man widely considered the greatest of all time. For now, however, Pereira is far away in South Korea, rubbing shoulders with showbiz royalty and this decision will have to wait until he gets back to the States.