Alex “Poatan” Pereira has cemented his legacy as one of the most devastating strikers in the history of combat sports. His thunderous kicks and concussive punches have propelled him to the pinnacle of two UFC divisions, leaving a trail of elite opponents in his wake. Yet, beneath the veneer of his striking mastery lies a widely acknowledged Achilles` heel: his grappling defense. While often discussed, this significant gap in his skill set has, curiously, remained largely unexploited by his adversaries – a phenomenon that has baffled pundits and fellow fighters alike.
Enter Robert Whittaker, the former UFC middleweight champion and a fighter renowned for his analytical mind. Whittaker recently weighed in on this intriguing aspect of Pereira`s game, suggesting that the current landscape of the light heavyweight division hasn`t truly presented “Poatan” with an opponent equipped to expose this fundamental flaw. His hypothetical choice for Pereira`s ultimate stylistic nightmare? A prime Daniel Cormier.
The Cormier Conundrum: A Wrestler`s Dream
Daniel Cormier, often overshadowed by his storied rivalry with Jon Jones, was a force of nature in the light heavyweight division. A two-time Olympian in wrestling and a former two-division UFC champion, “DC” possessed a relentless, high-level wrestling game complemented by formidable ground-and-pound and an unbreakable will. He wasn`t just a wrestler; he was a master of control, capable of dictating the pace and location of a fight with suffocating precision.
Whittaker`s reasoning is both straightforward and compelling. As he articulated on the MMArcade Podcast:
“You look at Pereira’s opponents that he’s fought and yes, he’s ran through them, but those dudes weren’t the guys to beat him, I don’t think. There aren’t a lot of those heavy wrestle mixed guys in the division at this moment. You know what I was thinking just now… You know who would’ve given Alex hell? (Daniel Cormier). Light heavyweight DC would’ve ran him over I reckon.”
This isn`t merely a casual observation; it`s a testament to the profound stylistic mismatch a prime Cormier would present. Pereira`s defensive grappling, while showing improvement, still struggles against sustained pressure and high-level takedowns. Cormier`s strategy wouldn`t merely involve a sporadic takedown attempt; it would be a suffocating assault designed to nullify Pereira`s striking entirely, keeping him grounded, exhausted, and out of his element.
Ankalaev and the Echoes of Exploitation
The conversation becomes particularly pertinent as Pereira prepares for his highly anticipated rematch against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320. Their first encounter, a shocking five-round decision victory for Ankalaev, saw the Dagestani fighter surprisingly opt to strike with Pereira, demonstrating his confidence (or perhaps a touch of bravado) on the feet. While Ankalaev secured the win, he did so without fully leveraging the wrestling advantage many believed he possessed. This leaves open the question: will UFC 320 see a strategic shift, a calculated move to truly test Pereira`s ground game? Or will Ankalaev once again gamble on out-striking the striking phenom?
Pereira`s journey has been defined by his ability to overcome adversity with his potent stand-up. However, the shadow of his grappling deficiency looms large. It`s a fundamental challenge that, unlike his striking, requires a different kind of evolution – one that isn`t always forged in the fires of a striking exchange but in the grueling crucible of wrestling practice and defensive technique.
Legacy and the Uncrossed Paths
Fortunately for “Poatan,” the timeline of their careers ensured that his path and Cormier`s never intersected inside the Octagon. The hypothetical matchup remains a tantalizing “what if” for fight fans, a thought experiment highlighting the diverse skill sets that make mixed martial arts so compelling. Yet, as Pereira approaches UFC 320, he stands on the cusp of etching his name deeper into the record books. A victory against Ankalaev could see him surpass Daniel Cormier`s number of light heavyweight title defenses, a remarkable achievement that underscores his rapid ascent.
This potential milestone, however, comes with a caveat. While title defense numbers speak to dominance within an era, the ultimate test for any champion lies in overcoming all styles. And for Alex Pereira, the ghost of a prime Daniel Cormier – a relentless, uncompromising grappler – serves as a stark reminder of the evolutionary journey that still lies ahead for one of the sport`s most electrifying, yet perhaps stylistically vulnerable, champions.
Marcus Bellamy