UFC mild heavyweight champion Alex Pereira fractured a toe two weeks earlier than his UFC 300 major occasion conflict with Jamahal Hill and nonetheless gained by way of first-round knockout, breaking one other toe through the match. “Poatan” nonetheless doubled down on the thought of turning round and combating 21 days later as a heavyweight at UFC 301, however his supervisor Jorge Guimarães desires to decelerate these talks.
Guimarães mentioned on MMA Preventing’s Trocação Franca podcast that Pereira was involved in regards to the damage going into UFC 300, however urged him to not inform the promotion, as a result of “I need to struggle regardless of how” at UFC 300. Together with his first profitable title protection now within the books, Pereira must chill out and heal earlier than reserving his subsequent task.
“That gained’t occur, no manner, particularly now that he has one other damaged toe,” Guimarães mentioned of Pereira combating on Could 4 in Rio de Janeiro. “He has to go to the shipyard and let the mud settle and rejoice the victory. Perhaps [go to Brazil] to observe the occasion, however no fights for him.”
UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall was cageside on the T-Cell Area on Saturday and later posted an image on his social media watching Pereira put together to enter the octagon, and Guimarães joked that Pereira’s efficiency “made Aspinall’s hair stand on finish.” That mentioned, discussing a champion vs. champion conflict in Manchester, doubtless in July, could be “untimely.”
“I don’t suppose [fighting Pereira] is a good suggestion for Aspinall at this second,” Guimarães mentioned. “Now we have to see what’s going to occur. I feel it’s nonetheless too untimely. Aspinall is the interim champion, why would he danger combating ‘Poatan’? I don’t suppose it makes a lot sense [for Aspinall], I don’t suppose it’s a good suggestion [for Aspinall]. For us, it’s [a good idea].”
Guimarães mentioned the plan proper now’s for Pereira to defend his mild heavyweight title subsequent, however is open to the thought of shifting as much as heavyweight if the UFC makes the fitting supply.
“He has the need, and I’ll let you know this, he’s going to do an unbelievable job at heavyweight,” Guimarães mentioned. “He’s an excellent powerful struggle for anybody within the heavyweight division as properly. He’s hungry to struggle. He says his time is operating out, and he desires to attain essentially the most he can. He’s extraordinarily assured, and I feel he would shine at heavyweight. Let’s see what the UFC has on the desk for us, however he gained’t be combating in Rio de Janeiro.”
