MANCHESTER, England – When a reporter at UFC 304 media day prefaced his question with the mention of “Alex Pereira’s inevitable move to the heavyweight division,” Curtis Blaydes didn’t hesitate to cut him off with two words that spoke volumes.
“Bad idea,” Blaydes said.
Pereira, the former middleweight champion and current light heavyweight titleholder, has teased a move to heavyweight after two successful defenses of his 205-pound belt this year. Should the UFC grant Pereira’s wish, it’s a matchup Blaydes would welcome with open arms.
“I know this is what everyone wants to hear: Yes, I would f*ck up Alex Pereira,” Blaydes said. “Not because he’s not good, (but because) I’m heavier. Just a heavyweight, gravity, weight matters. It’s not his skill base. That’s just how it is.”
In fact, Blaydes (18-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) is so confident that he had no qualms sharing how he would approach a fight with Pereira (11-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC).
“Him, I’ll give you my premeditated plan: I’m gonna shoot immediately,” Blaydes said. “Why would I give him any chance to knock me out on the feet when I know I can take him down at will? And I’m sure he has to know that. I think he’s looking for a specific heavyweight, not any heavyweight.”
Curtis Blaydes says it's a "bad idea" for Alex Pereira to move to heavyweight 😬
"I would f*ck up Alex Pereira"#UFC304 interview: https://t.co/xajq2kfo2W pic.twitter.com/0dss1oUHIb
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) July 24, 2024
First, Blaydes has business to tend to Saturday at Co-op Live where he’ll meet interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall in the night’s co-main event. A win there would put Blaydes on Pereira’s radar given his career goal of making history as the first UFC fighter to claim gold in three divisions.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 304.
