“Alex Pereira Is Not a Heavyweight” Sean Strickland Drops Blunt Take on Poatan’s Heavyweight Chances
Will Alex Pereira be able to make it at Heavyweight? Former opponent and training partner broke down his chances. Sean Strickland fielded questions at the UFC 328 prefight press conference ahead of his middleweight title challenge against champion Khamzat Chimaev. The event takes place tomorrow, May 9, at Newark’s Prudential Center. Reporters asked him to compare sparring sessions with Alex Pereira and Francis Ngannou, and which felt tougher.
Poatan Is Not a Heavyweight: Sean Strickland Makes Bold Alex Pereira Claim
Strickland paused before answering. He picked Pereira as the harder partner. “That’s a hard one, dude. This is why Alex is going to excel at heavyweight. Heavyweights are fucking heavyweights. Alex is not a heavyweight. Alex is a 205er with a heavyweight build that can be heavyweight and that’s why you’re going to see him succeed so much because you’re fighting lower competition, you’re faster, hit harder… But Francis is big and black, bro. I don’t know. If I had to pick who I want to fight, I don’t know… They both suck.”
Strickland and Pereira share history. They fought at UFC 276 in 2022, where Pereira won by TKO in the first round at middleweight. After that, they trained together. Pereira called Strickland a warrior who taught him during those sessions. Pereira later captured the middleweight title by knocking out Israel Adesanya, then moved to light heavyweight for two title reigns, including a knockout of Magomed Ankalaev.
Now Pereira eyes heavyweight history. He vacated his light heavyweight belt to face Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in the co-main event of UFC Freedom 250, also called the UFC White House event. The card hits the White House South Lawn on June 14 to mark America’s 250th anniversary. Fighters already faced off there this week and met President Trump in the Oval Office. A win puts Pereira against Tom Aspinall for undisputed gold after Aspinall’s eye injury recovery.
Strickland’s words fit the week’s trash talk. He and Chimaev traded shots online and in media. Strickland escalated with threats to pull a gun on Chimaev and his crew if they confronted him. Chimaev fired back at workouts, calling himself the hunter. One exchange had Chimaev claim he choked Strickland in training.
Chimaev holds a 15-0 record with finishes over top middleweights and welterweights. Strickland sits at 30-7, a former champ with strong striking and durability. Fans pack the arena tomorrow for what could turn personal fast. Strickland’s Pereira breakdown adds fuel to the celebrated UFC White House event.
