Daniel Cormier can’t fathom Alex Pereira’s fast rise in the UFC.
Pereira (9-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) claimed the vacant light heavyweight title when he knocked out Jiri Prochazka (29-4-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) this past Saturday in the UFC 295 headliner – making him one of nine two-weight champions in the history of the promotion. In just 11 MMA bouts, including seven with the promotion, Pereira has captured UFC titles at light heavyweight and middleweight.
Considering Pereira’s inexperience in MMA, Cormier finds it incredible that he’s been able to capture two UFC belts in such a short amount of time.
“His ability to find his shots, his ability to adjust when he’s in trouble, his ability to just win,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “This man has 11 MMA fights, seven UFC fights, and he’s won two belts. It’s unheard of.”
Cormier also loves the bond between Pereira and his coach, Glover Teixeira, who held the UFC light heavyweight title less than two years ago.
“You know what’s even more special to me? Watching Glover Teixeira react in the way that he does when Alex Pereira does something special,” Cormier continued. “He is his mentor, Alex Pereira is his protege. So, there is no jealousy. It’s all happiness, it’s all support, and I love the relationship between these two.”
In the fight-ending sequence, Pereira clipped Prochazka with a short counter then rained down numerous elbows, which caused Prochazka to go limp. The stoppage was debated by many but not by Prochazka.
“Would we have have liked to see him take a little more damage? Absolutely, it’s a title fight, but I have no problem with it,” Cormier said. “Dude will work his way back to a championship opportunity. It’s only a matter of time.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 295.
