UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has responded to Khamzat Chimaev’s recent callout – but not in the way anyone expected.
Instead of brushing Chimaev off or accepting an MMA showdown, Poatan countered with something entirely different: a grappling match, potentially under the UFC’s new UFC BJJ banner.
In a video shared on social media, Pereira appeared alongside mentor and former UFC champion Glover Teixeira, who made it clear that Pereira’s focus remains elsewhere:
First of all, he needs to get there (to the level where he can challenge Pereira).
We need Jon Jones. We want Jon Jones. Big name.
Pereira, however, didn’t close the door on the surging Chechen contender.
Instead, he threw out a challenge that instantly caught the MMA world’s attention:
Let’s fight in grappling.
UFC is doing BJJ now, right?
Let’s do this. Let’s make it happen.
The proposal is bold, especially considering Chimaev’s reputation as one of MMA’s most dominant grapplers.
For example, his performance at UFC 319 included 12 takedowns and more than 21 minutes of control time, a display of suffocating dominance that earned him the middleweight title over Dricus Du Plessis.
But Pereira added a twist that gives the idea even more intrigue:
I don’t even know how much I’m gonna win, but it’s gonna be good money.
And this money is gonna be donated 100% for charity.Is that okay with you?
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