Former UFC two-division champion Alex Pereira already has his next steps mapped out, no matter how his next fight against Sergei Pavlovich plays out at UFC 335 in Las Vegas in December.
Pereira, who previously held both the UFC light heavyweight and middleweight titles on separate occasions, recently admitted that he is toying with the idea of returning to 205 pounds.
There is a condition attached, however.
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"Everyone knows I’m not a big guy like these heavyweights,” Pereira said, per the Connect Cast. “So I’m not going to stay there taking a beating at that disadvantage. So I would go back to my division, where I was more comfortable. I think that would be the best thing to do.”
For the time being, though, Pereira said he intends on remaining at heavyweight if he beats Pavlovich. He went as far as to predict how the co-main event, taking place Saturday, Dec. 12 at T-Mobile Arena, could unfold.
"I think against me, maybe he might think, ‘I’m going to unleash the machine gun and knock this guy out,’” Pereira said of his opponent.
Despite losing his heavyweight debut to Cyril Gane in June, Pereira said he is extra motivated to correct the mistakes and fight with less reckless abandon while picking his shots more effectively.
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“I don’t know what happens, but he might unleash the machine gun, and if he can’t land his shots, he might try to wrestle me to wear me out. But I’m getting ready; I’m excited about the training and everything I’ve been doing with the team.”
Pereira added that a loss in any fashion would sway him to return to light heavyweight after all, where he relinquished the title at UFC 313 last March before regaining in a little over a year ago at UFC 320 in Las Vegas.
“I wouldn’t stay [at heavyweight], no,” Pereira said. “I would go back to light heavyweight. I think that would be the ideal thing to do.”
Pereira doesn't have any names in mind at present, as he's trying to regain his footing in a newer weight division as it pertains to his MMA career.
For the time being, Pereira said he learned a lot from the loss to Gane in a potential lookahead spot, should he have won.
But it wasn't meant to be. Not only is Pereira-Pavlovich a heavyweight title precursor, but it may also usher in a new era for the division.
We'll soon find out.
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