Alex Pereira stands as an embodiment of sheer prowess and finesse in MMA. Recently, the typically reserved Pereira diverged from his usual demeanor and directed an unusual verbal tirade towards Anthony Smith. This unanticipated outburst was devoid of expletives, and showcased a side of Pereira that fans rarely witness.
In Pereira’s opinion, it is only ‘washed-up vets’ like Smith who speak about him all the time,. The Brazilian thinks Smith’s criticism of him is motivated by his own unhappiness over his career’s lack of success.
Expanding on his perspective, Pereira delves into the origins of Smith’s discontent. He highlights that Smith’s only headlining performance on a pay-per-view (PPV) event was made possible by the presence of Jon Jones.
Pereira vocalized his thoughts on YouTube by stating: “The only ones who speak bad about me are Anthony Smith types, washed up vets who never amounted to anything. Who are still fighting. They’re in a really tight spot. Or the guy who is still a nobody.”
“But those who are already doing well, I don’t see them talking about me, you know. It’s just the ones beneath me, you get me? Or those who tried and failed, bitter souls like Anthony Smith…He’s a frustrated guy right? I think he was a main event right? Thanks to Jon Jones, because if it wasn’t for Jon Jones, he wouldn’t even be in that main event.”
Pereira also directed his critique towards Smith’s professional conduct. He seized the opportunity to ridicule Smith for his failure to meet the designated weight as a backup competitor for the UFC 283 title bout involving Jon Jones and Jamahal Hill.
Alex Pereira’s journey within the UFC has been quite successful. Headlining two back-to-back pay-per-view events, securing and giving up the middleweight title, ascending to the 205 lbs division, and emerging victorious against former champion Jan Blachowicz – all accomplished within a mere span of two years. Pereira’s impact on the octagon has been nothing short of revolutionary.
Anthony Smith maintains that Pereira’s success at middleweight won’t carry over to 205 lbs. Smith claimed that Pereira has a significant size advantage at 185 pounds, while he is just another rated contender at light heavyweight.
Smith recently asserted, “He’s not the large, scary monster that he was at Middleweight. He’s a fairly normal dude…Now, because he’s so technical and has such an incredible striking game, he’s always gonna be special.”
“But in terms of just his size and power, he doesn’t stand out amongst all the 205ers and I don’t think that Alex Pereira is more powerful and explosive than an Aleksandar Rakic. He’s not stronger than a guy like [Magomed] Ankalaev.”