Alex Pereira’s first heavyweight outing ended in disappointment after he lost to Ciryl Gane in June. However, the Brazilian will get another shot at making his mark in the division when he faces Sergei Pavlovich in the five-round co-main event at UFC 335 on December 12.
With Gane scheduled to defend the heavyweight title against Josh Hokit at UFC 334 a month earlier, Pereira could put himself in the conversation for a shot at the gold with a win. However, his mindset heading into the fight has raised some eyebrows.
The former two-division champion recently admitted that he might not stick around much longer if he starts losing frequently. He has also considered returning to light heavyweight if he loses to Pavlovich. That possibility did not sit well with his longtime rival, Israel Adesanya, who questioned his decision to move up in the first place.
Israel Adesanya Calls Out Alex Pereira’s Mindset Ahead of UFC 335 Showdown
During a recent appearance on his Precision podcast, Adesanya said, “I saw a clip of Pereira saying if he loses to Pavlovich he’s going back down to 205 – I don’t like that. I don’t like that he’s putting that out there.”
Izzy added, “Because what the f*ck you mean, ‘If I lose?’ It’s not even about ‘If I lose.’ It’s just like, why not stay at 205 after that last fight with Ciryl Gane? I thought he was going to go back to 205. It made sense. But I don’t know why he’s taking this fight. It doesn’t make sense to me.”
Adesanya and Pereira share a long history in combat sports. Pereira beat Izzy twice in kickboxing before the two split their UFC middleweight title fights 1-1. Given their history, Adesanya believes his former rival is better suited to competing at 205 pounds and should have stayed there.
He added, “I think go back down to 205, and that’s where I think he does best. I think that’s where he does his best work, was at 205. He’s big, big for 185. People didn’t say s**t about his weight cutting until I knocked him out.”
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Adesanya also pointed out that Pereira could potentially return to the light heavyweight division and challenge for the title without having to work his way back up the rankings. The Brazilian previously held the belt before vacating it to pursue a move to heavyweight.
He said, “I think health-wise, because he hasn’t cut down in so long, I think 205 is the sweet spot for him, and he would do well there and great matchups. If he wants a title shot, he can get it like that because he never lost the belt. He vacated it and went to heavyweight. He can come back and say, ‘Chama.’”
Other prominent UFC figures, including Daniel Cormier and Joe Rogan, have also raised concerns about Pereira competing at heavyweight, especially considering that he originally joined the promotion as a middleweight.
Daniel Cormier believes Alex Pereira should stay at light heavyweight, calling 205 pounds the perfect weight class for him.
DC says heavyweight may be too big for Pereira, while cutting back down to 185 would take too much out of him. At 205, he believes Pereira can fully maximize his power.
Via @dc_mma
— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA) October 3, 2026
Still, Pereira’s success at 205 pounds speaks for itself. He recorded three light heavyweight title defenses in just 175 days and delivered several devastating knockouts during his run at the top.
For Adesanya, the Brazilian’s best work has come at light heavyweight, and a return to the division could make sense if his heavyweight experiment falls short. However, Pereira will have a chance to prove his doubters wrong when he takes on Pavlovich at UFC 335.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.
