Daniel Cormier’s worries come true as Alex Pereira gets spotted arm-wrestling Korean bodybuilder before UFC 313

UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira's world tour and arm wrestling with a Korean bodybuilder echoes concerns raised by MMA experts.

Daniel Cormier’s worries come true as Alex Pereira gets spotted arm-wrestling Korean bodybuilder before UFC 313

Alex Pereira arm wrestles with a Korean bodybuilder in South Korea (via X/Imago)

Alex Pereira has now successfully established himself as one of the biggest superstars on the current UFC roster. The UFC light heavyweight champion is now on a world tour visiting different countries and interacting with fans. However, the Brazilian is quite busy throughout, especially with his upcoming title fight at UFC 313.

Pereira was recently at UFC 312 cornering his sparring partner and former middleweight champion Sean Strickland. The fight didn’t go in their favor, and ‘Poatan’ even got a callout from Dricus Du Plessis. Currently, Pereira is in South Korea, and was recently seen arm wrestling with a bodybuilder. Other than that, he also made a YouTube video sparring with the biggest heavyweight boxer in South Korea.

All these are quite concerning given that he will defend his title against top contender Magomed Ankalaev in a few weeks. UFC legend Daniel Cormier raised concerns about this, and gave an update on the Russian star. According to DC, Ankalaev is currently in UFC PI, laser-focused on beating Pereira. On the other hand, the Brazilian is out there cycling around and meeting the likes of Drake.

Ankalaev is regarded as the biggest threat to Pereira’s reign, but it doesn’t seems to bother the light heavyweight champion. Pereira defended his title three times last year and knocked out all his opponents. His fights were entertaining and his activity makes him one of the most anticipated fighters in MMA. Fans are desperate to see Pereira go against the Russian giant and his wrestling pedigree at UFC 313.

Can Alex Pereira survive against a top wrestler in the light heavyweight division?

Alex Pereira has dominated the UFC with his elite kickboxing, devastating power, and precise striking. As the two-division champion, he defeated top champions, including Israel Adesanya and Jiri Prochazka, and many more, proving his versatility and resilience. His rapid rise cements his legendary status already making him one of the best ever to step foot inside the octagon. 

Alex Pereira's wrestling abilities are in question for UFC 313
Alex Pereira’s wrestling abilities are in question for UFC 313 (via MMA Mania)

Pereira is famous for the ‘touch of death’, an ability to knock out anybody with his left hook. On top of that, his leg kicks are devastating for any challenger. However, many experts including Jorge Masvidal are not convinced about Pereira’s wrestling prowess 

Pereira, I don’t know how well he will do against lot of these other guys that are gonna be like I’m not striking with you bro. I’m just gonna straight dive for your legs…You could see on the ground, he’s not that efficient. He doesn’t quite know what he’s doing, he’s a little bit lost. 

Jorge Masvidal via JRE MMA Show #137

On paper, Alex Pereira is a BJJ black belt under Plinio Cruz, but that doesn’t necessarily support his performance on the ground. The UFC superstar has struggled every time he has been taken down by anybody. It will be interesting to see whether Magomed Ankalaev can try to challenge the Brazilian in such a way. 

Related: Alex Pereira Fight Record: How many defeats does “Poatan” have in his career?