Recently deposed UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira shares a gym with longtime teammate Alex Pereira, who tonight faces Sean Strickland on the main card of UFC 276. Appearing on The MMA Hour, Teixeira discussed their approach to the Strickland fight, stressing that Pereira has the terrifying ability to end any fight early.
“Of course we’re focusing on Strickland, he’s as tough as nails, but we’re always looking for the victory. If Adesanya wins, and I think he will — it’s a tough fight, too, but for sure him and Alex, or Cannonier, if he wins, it’s him and Alex. [But] Adesanya has already talked about it a little bit on the internet, that he’ll be fighting Alex next. He wants to fight Alex, he says.
Glover Teixeira: Alex Pereira Can End Any Fight Early
[Sean Strickland is] a very tough opponent, we know that. That’s why he’s there. This guy is no joke, he’s a very good striker, and we prepared for that. We know what we’re going to [face].
Alex can end any fight early. Alex catches the right time, the power the guy has, he can fight anyone in the world and end the fight whatever he catches him. But Sean Strickland is not like that, he’s not easy to hit, but it’s timing. If he’s ready to go three rounds, Alex is prepared for that, too. But a guy like Alex, like myself, too, we always go for the finish.”
Alex Pereira is perhaps best known as the man who defeated Israel Adesanya twice back in their GLORY kickboxing days. In the second fight, Adesanya seemed to be dominating the affair, until a vicious strike from “Poatan” sent “The Last Stylebender” plummeting to the canvas. Adesanya subsequently shifted to MMA, embarking on one of the most impressive winning streaks in the sport’s history: he has never lost a fight at middleweight.
Pereira, on the other hand, joined the UFC ranks last year, finishing his opponent with a flying knee upon debut. Alex Pereira boasts 21 knockouts in 33 wins as a kickboxer, and will be looking to end things early against Sean Strickland just as he did against Israel Adesanya all those years ago.
A victory this weekend may well set up a rematch for the champ and his old rival down the line, with Sean Strickland as the #4 ranked middleweight by far the toughest opponent of his MMA career so far. Do you think Alex Pereira will clinch an early finish tonight? Let us know in the comments.
