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When former Glory kickboxer Alex Pereira first signed with the UFC, many were skeptical as to whether his skillset would transfer to MMA well enough for him to compete with the best in the world.
Pereira is now 2-0 inside the UFC. He knocked out Andreas Michailidis in his UFC debut and comfortably defeated Bruno Silva by decision last weekend at UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Ankalaev.
Pereira is also the only man who can say he has knocked out UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in competitive combat sports. They faced off during their kickboxing careers and, whilst Adesanya won much of their fight, Pereira landed his trademark left hook later in the bout, knocking 'The Last Stylebender' out cold.
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Pereira has since stated that he wishes to do the same in MMA. However, he still has a way to go before facing Adesnaya. With that being said, in the following list, we breakdown five fights to make for Alex Pereira following his win at UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Ankalaev.
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#5. Alex Pereira vs. Chris 'The Action Man' Curtis
If Pereira is looking for another action fight with a fan favorite striker, he could do worse than Chris Curtis. 'The Action Man' lives up to his nickname in every fight he competes in, and has finished six of his last seven bouts.
Curtis made his UFC debut in 2021, stepping in on short notice to face off against Phil Hawes. Curtis was a massive underdog, but pulled off a big upset by knocking Hawes out in emphatic fashion.
Since then, Curtis has also knocked out Brendan Allen, once again stepping in on short notice. 'The Action Man' was scheduled to face off against Dricus Du Plessis in the coming weeks, but has since been forced to pull out.
Depending on when he is fit to return, this could make Chris Curtis the perfect next opponent for Alex Pereira.
#4. Alex Pereira vs. Edmen 'The Golden Boy' Shahbazyan
Considering the hype around Alex Pereira and his connection to Adesanya, it would be logical for the UFC to attempt to push him into the rankings as soon as possible.
One ranked opponent that would make a lot of sense is Edmen Shahbazyan, the No.15-ranked UFC middleweight. Shahbazyan was on a tear through the division, picking up several highlight-reel KO finishes, before being matched up with three dangerous ground fighters.
Derek Brunson, Jack Hermansson, and Nassourdine Imavov all used wrestling and grappling heavy approaches to dominate 'The Golden Boy,' leaving him on a three-fight losing streak.
Shahbazyan needs a fight where he can show off his striking prowess and get back in the winning column. Pereira is always going to be happy to let the fight play out on the feet, and Shahbazyan could be the perfect entry into the top 15 for 'Paotan'.
#3. Alex Pereira vs. Brad Tavares
Another top 15-ranked fighter that could provide a good test for Pereira is UFC veteran Brad Tavares. Currently ranked at No.12, Tavares has proved time and time again that you truly have to be one of the best in the world to overcome him.
With wins over the likes of Antônio 'Shoeface' Carlos Júnior, Omari Akhmedov, and Lorenz Larkin, Tavares has consistently been competitive with the 185lb elite. Since 2015, he has only lost to Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker and the aforementioned Edman Shahbazyan.
His grit and veteran savvy would pose a solid threat to Periera, but if the Brazilian is able to overcome Tavares, it would be impossible to discount Alex Pereira as a top-level mixed martial artist.
#2. Alex Pereira vs. Darren 'The Gorilla' Till
Since making the move up to middleweight, former welterweight title challenger Darren Till has not had the success he initially envisioned he would. The Liverpudlian has gone 1-2 at 185lbs, with a win over Kelvin Gastelum and back-to-back losses against Robert Whittaker and Derek Brunson.
Till has been making headlines lately with his blossoming friendship with Khamzat Chimaev as he trains at Sweden's Allstars. However, Till also appears to be making a very conscious effort to elevate his game in order to get his career trajectory back on track.
Pereira vs. Till would be a blockbuster of a fight. Both men are lethal strikers, combining clinical technique with devastating power. A win for either man would likely see them enter the top five, and even set them up for a potential title fight.
#1. Alex Pereira vs. Uriah 'Primetime' Hall
Ranked at No.9, Uriah Hall would be the ideal opponent for Alex Pereira's third UFC appearance. Hall is a dynamic striker with an arsenal of vicious kicks that have put numerous opponents to sleep.
Pereira clearly believes that he is one of, if not the best kickboxer in the UFC, so why not give him the chance to prove it against the man who knocked out Gegard Mousasi with a spinning back kick to the face?
Admittedly, Hall has just been booked to face Andre Muniz in the near future. However, if Pereira is willing to wait around for their fight, it would be an electric matchup with guaranteed fireworks.
