In a recent episode of Wild Ride podcast, jackass star Steve-O revealed an unexpected pick for his MMA Mount Rushmore – Brazilian welterweight Michel Pereira at number two.
While discussing the upcoming UFC event at Sphere in Las Vegas with MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, Steve-O was asked about his personal Mount Rushmore of MMA fighters. After naming Jon Jones as his clear number one pick, Steve-O surprisingly selected Michel Pereira as his second choice.
“You know what I really like? The way that Michelle Pereira did and continues to do,” Steve-O explained. “Not Alex, Michelle Pereira with the back flips in the middle of the fight. The guy’s doing cartwheels.”
Steve-O cited Pereira’s exciting style and in-cage acrobatics as the reason for his high ranking. “There’s nothing more exciting to me than a dominant fighter just break dancing his way into the Octagon,” he said. “Where once the bell rings and the fight’s underway he’s going to be literally doing back flips onto his opponent.”
The stuntman and comedian acknowledged his criteria was based purely on entertainment value rather than accomplishments. “My criteria is the excitement factor,” Steve-O admitted.
While an unorthodox selection, Steve-O’s inclusion of Pereira on his Mount Rushmore speaks to the Brazilian star’s uniquely crowd-pleasing style. Known for his flashy moves and risk-taking in the cage, Pereira has become a fan favorite for his acrobatic attacks and willingness to put on a show.
Pereira (31-11, 1 NC) is riding an eight-win streak, with first-round finishes over Petroski, Oleksiejczuk, and Potieria since moving up to 185 pounds.
Steve-O rounded out his Mount Rushmore with Nate Diaz and rising prospect Shavkat Rakhmonov, again emphasizing entertainment and excitement as his main criteria. While not a traditional list of all-time greats, Steve-O’s selections highlight some of the most dynamic personalities in MMA today.
