UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira isn’t taking Khamzat Chimaev’s callout too seriously.
Chimaev (13-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) issued a challenge to Pereira (9-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC), who finished Jiri Prochazka to claim the vacant belt at UFC 295. “Poatan” called out Israel Adesanya for a trilogy but is expected to make his first title defense against ex-champ Jamahal Hill.
Undefeated Chimaev is coming off a close decision win over former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman in a 185-pound bout at UFC 294. Pereira responded to Chimaev’s callout, saying “Borz” had his chance in the past when he expressed interest in fighting him.
“So actually, everything started after the Adesanya fight when I became the middleweight champion,” Pereira said on his YouTube channel through an interpreter. “It was a war with Adesanya. I was injured after the fight, and Chimaev directly called me out, wanted to fight against me, take my belt, and whatever. I said, ‘OK, that’s fine. Let’s fight at light heavyweight.’
“He denied. He didn’t want to fight me at light heavyweight and afterwards, now I’m the champ at light heavyweight, and he calls me out at light heavyweight. So, this only shows that these type of fighters are trying to run behind the hype and the fame of the champions, and it doesn’t make sense. Now I have to do what? Call him out at heavyweight or what? So, it doesn’t make sense.”
Pereira also took a dig at Chimaev’s recent opposition in a social media post.
When Chimaev is choosing his opponents. pic.twitter.com/IhQCKqkdhN
— Alex "Poatan" Pereira (@AlexPereiraUFC) November 23, 2023
