Daniel Cormier is a renowned wrestler himself. He recently made a bold assertion about Alex Pereira’s wrestling abilities.
Cormier won the bronze medal in the 2007 World Championships. He emphasized Pereira’s potential to join the official USA Wrestling team. Recently, he made a statement during the latest episode of the ESPN MMA show ‘Good Guy/Bad Guy.’ This has stirred considerable attention in the MMA community.
Alex Pereira is primarily a kickboxer and hadn’t focused on wrestling until his entry into the UFC. His ground game became a crucial aspect of his training regimen upon joining the organization.
While Pereira’s UFC matches have predominantly showcased his striking prowess, the video featured in the ‘Good Guy/Bad Guy’ episode shed light on his wrestling skills.
The video shows the native of Louisiana asking security to help him break free from Pereira’s strong grasp on his legs. The sequences in which Pereira was in charge of Cormier also alarmed Chael Sonnen.
When discussing his experience with Pereira, Cormier stated: “Honestly Chael. He [Pereira] is one of the most talented wrestlers I’ve ever come into contact with. The strength is unmatched. Alex Pereira could possibly make it to the US Olympic team.”
With calls from the UFC community for Pereira to compete in the heavyweight division, attention has turned to potential matchups against formidable opponents like Jon Jones. While Pereira may need to enhance his wrestling skills for such challenges, Cormier’s endorsement of his wrestling potential shows the significance of this aspect of his training.
Reigning UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones has shown interest in facing Pereira, sparking anticipation among fans. Despite Jones’ dominance, Pereira’s remarkable victory over Israel Adesanya demonstrates his capability to challenge even the most formidable opponents. As Pereira continues to refine his wrestling skills, he could emerge as a significant threat to Jones’ reign.