Alex Pereira’s Rise to Stardom in 2024
UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira achieved unprecedented levels of fame in 2024, defending his title three times with brutal knockouts. Each of these victories solidified his status as one of the most recognizable athletes in the UFC. The Brazilian fighter’s success in the octagon has opened new doors for him, including his recent foray into acting. Pereira was cast in director Adam Wingard’s new film, "Onslaught," alongside notable actors such as Dan Stevens, Drew Starkey, Adria Arjona, and Rebecca Hall. This opportunity came in the midst of his rigorous training schedule, which included traveling halfway around the world to corner Sean Strickland at UFC 312 in February, just weeks before his own title defense against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313.
Balancing Fame and Focus
While Pereira insists these new opportunities are not diverting his focus from his upcoming fight, UFC legend Matt Brown has concerns. On a recent episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer, Brown expressed that Pereira’s newfound stardom could be distracting. “Absolutely possible [he’s distracted],” Brown said. “He doesn’t come across as the type to do that, but it’s 1,000-percent possible because the way that you train to get there is, for the vast majority of guys, completely different when you’re there.” Brown noted that Pereira’s journey to the top was relatively distraction-free, as he won GLORY championships with minimal public recognition. Now, however, Pereira faces a barrage of attention from all angles, and Brown doubts that his mental state and hunger are the same as they were before.
Ankalaev’s Determination
Magomed Ankalaev, Pereira’s opponent, was arguably the No. 1 contender in the division even before Pereira’s fight with Khalil Rountree Jr. in October. Ankalaev solidified his position with a win over Aleksandar Rakic, and despite some initial doubts, the UFC finally granted him the title shot. On paper, Ankalaev’s size, power, striking, and combat sambo background make him one of the toughest tests Pereira has faced since becoming champion. Brown emphasized that Ankalaev is a highly motivated fighter, driven by the lack of recognition and the perceived snubbing by Pereira and the MMA community. “Ankalaev’s hungry as f*ck. This is his chance. He hasn’t got the recognition he’s deserved. He hasn’t got the hype around him. Everybody is writing him off. All the betting odds are against him. That’s just going to fire you up even more.”
Pereira’s Transition to MMA
Brown has long praised Pereira for his successful transition from kickboxing to MMA. At 37, Pereira is one of the oldest champions in the UFC, and his performances have been nothing short of invincible. He has dispatched formidable opponents like Jamahal Hill and Jiri Prochazka with relative ease. However, Brown knows that eventually, Pereira will face an opponent who truly challenges him. “I’m not going to say he’s going to get exposed at some point but it’s going to be tested at some point,” Brown stated. “I don’t doubt that Ankalaev is going to try to test it. It’s in his best interest to try and test it.” This fight with Ankalaev might be the wake-up call Pereira needs to refocus and prioritize his MMA career over external distractions.
The Importance of Addressing Weaknesses
Brown acknowledged that while Pereira has a dominant record, he has primarily faced opponents willing to stand and trade strikes. Ankalaev, however, may not give Pereira that option, and his grappling skills could pose a significant threat. “Alex has weaknesses, and he has to put in a lot of work to catch those weaknesses up,” Brown explained. “He has had favorable matchups. I’m not saying that to take away from his insane run that he’s had. It’s been fascinating. It’s been amazing. But I think we’d be fools to deny that his matchups have been favorable. What he needs to do to continue to rise up is to put that sort of energy and time into making those weaknesses strengths or at least minimizing those weaknesses.”
The Upcoming Battle
Despite his concerns, Brown is not ready to crown Ankalaev as the new champion. “I’m going to stick with Alex. I think those distractions that we’re talking about might catch up to him, they might even show in the fight. He might not perform as well as he necessarily should,” Brown said. However, he also pointed out a potential Achilles’ heel for Ankalaev: his lack of finishing power. “The problem that I see with Ankalaev, he’s just not a finisher. If he wins, it’s probably going to be a decision, and I think that’s a tough route to take against Alex.” Brown’s reservations about Pereira stem partly from the possibility of distractions affecting his performance and partly from Ankalaev’s skill set. Nonetheless, he expects the fight to be a crucial moment for Pereira, one that might push him to reassess his priorities and maintain his championship status.
