Pereira ‘looked like death’ in last middleweight cut

Sean Strickland doubts Alex Pereira strikes again all the way down to 185 kilos.

After Dricus Du Plessis retained his middleweight title with a submission of Israel Adesanya at UFC 305, gentle heavyweight champion Pereira despatched him a warning.

Pereira (11-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) mentioned he’d drop to middleweight yet another time to face Du Plessis, however Strickland strongly advises him in opposition to that transfer.

“His massive ass ain’t going again all the way down to 185, dude,” Strickland instructed ESPN. “As a welterweight that moved as much as 185, when you get used to that weight class, the considered going again down sounds depressing. I feel Alex ought to battle (Du Plessis) at 205 any day of the week. Any day of the week, he sits at 205, one hundred pc.”

Pereira’s most up-to-date look at middleweight got here at UFC 287 when he misplaced his middleweight title to Adesanya by knockout. He has since moved as much as 205 kilos, the place he dominated over the division by claiming the title and defending it twice.

Strickland recollects seeing Pereira in tough form previous to his battle with Adesanya at UFC 287. Du Plessis himself would reasonably battle Pereira at gentle heavyweight over middleweight.

“I bear in mind seeing Alex for his final battle (at middleweight) within the again room, and he appeared like loss of life,” Strickland mentioned. “When he final middleweight lower, I walked to go say hello to him, and he simply appeared like f*cking loss of life – to the purpose the place I’m like, ‘Man, this ain’t good for you dude, go up.’ I feel at 205 he’d do in a heartbeat, however 185 I can’t see him doing that, fortunately for us.”

Pereira defends his gentle heavyweight title in opposition to Khalil Rountree (13-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) within the UFC 307 predominant occasion in Salt Lake Metropolis on Oct. 5.

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 307.