Alex Pereira has dismissed a title challenge from Khamzat Chimaev ahead of his UFC 287 rematch with Israel Adesanya.
'Poatan' will step in the cage in Miami in his maiden title defence when he faces an immediate revenge bid from rival Adesanya on Saturday night. Pereira will likely face a number of different challenges to the crown if he beats the Nigerian again, including contenders Paulo Costa and Chimaev.
'Borz' has spoken about moving up to 185lb after missing weight for his previous fight at 170lb, and even proposed a quick-fire challenge against Pereira last December. However the fight failed to materialise with negotiations never officially beginning beyond their social media exchanges.
The current champion has insisted he is more interested in potential assaults to his belt from Costa and even Robert Whittaker as opposed to any meeting with the Chechen star. "This week, I'm obviously focused on Israel, but talk about [Robert] Whittaker and Paulo Costa," he said during the UFC 287 media day when assessing his options beyond his second meeting with Adesanya. "I know they want to fight me.
"They were never disrespectful. They always kept their composure, but when you talk about Chimaev, he's the kind of guy that seems to be a little lost, talks too much. "Right after my last fight, he said that he wanted to fight me at this weight class. He knows it was right after the fight, everybody's injured. I could not make that weight so I challenged him to fight at 205 pounds, [he] ran.
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"To be honest, if it's Whittaker or Paulo Costa, if the organisation wants to put us to fight, it's my job to fight as the UFC champion, but I don't even want to talk about Chimaev."
Alex Pereira currently holds the UFC middleweight title (Zuffa LLC)Who wins if the pair were to meet - Alex Pereira or Khamzat Chimaev? Let us know in the comments section below
Chimaev has yet to lose in his remarkable rise in the UFC but has not yet competed at 185lb since missing weight for his original planned bout with Nate Diaz. UFC president Dana White appears to have echoed his plans suggesting during the promotion's previous pay-per-view card that Chimaev will return at 185lb against a top-three opponent.
And bantamweight star Sean O'Malley believes a switch is the best move for Chimaev who believes he can become a superstar if the weight is correct. “That’d be the smartest f***ing career move for that guy,” O’Malley said on his YouTube channel. “Because making ’70, he has to be on a strict diet all year round. He can’t f**k around once or twice.
“Yeah, Khamzat, if he can make the weight. I mean, that’s a big deal making the weight. Even if he goes up to 185, who’s up at ’85 that would be fun to watch him fight. Izzy (Adesanya), Alex Pereira. Bo Nickal’s up there. I mean, he’s still obviously new in his career in the UFC, but that’s interesting.”
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