![Dricus Du Plessis and Alex Pereira will defend their titles at UFC 312 and 313 respectively [Image Courtesy: @alexpoatanpereira and @dricusduplessis on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/e6134-17379888234478-1920.jpg)
![Dricus Du Plessis and Alex Pereira will defend their titles at UFC 312 and 313 respectively [Image Courtesy: @alexpoatanpereira and @dricusduplessis on Instagram]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAABP/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAxy8HT//EAB8QAAMAAQMFAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECAwQABhEVIjEyUf/aAAgBAQABPwDalHl05orKeVkY1Zyoq+vf5b6edX3Dii9A+CjuGPLFQSTr/8QAFhEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEC/9oACAECAQE/AKZ//8QAFhEAAwAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEC/9oACAEDAQE/AIR//9k='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold shared his opinion on a potential matchup between reigning 185-pound king Dricus du Plessis and light heavyweight champ Alex Pereira.
Du Plessis is set to defend his title at UFC 312 against Sean Strickland in a rematch from 2024. 'Stillknocks' beat Strickland at UFC 297 to capture the middleweight crown and has since defended his title against Israel Adesanya.
Meanwhile, Pereira moved up to light heavyweight after getting knocked out by Adesanya. 'Poatan' won the title at 205 pounds at UFC 295 against Jiri Prochazka and has defended the strap three times. His latest outing in the octagon came against Khalil Rountree, whom the Brazilian knocked out in the fourth round.
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Speaking to Submission Radio on a potential bout between the two, Rockhold said:
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"I think anyone with the takedown has got a shot against Alex Pereira. Alex is a big guy though, you know, it's a big jump. It's a lot, we'll see. I mean, trying to get in on Alex Pereira, he’s probably gotten better but I think Alex got his hands full with the Dagestani [Magomed Ankalaev]. If he can wrestle- Alex Pereira, he's very good at kickboxing but he didn't grow up wrestling. Anybody who grows up wrestling, who focuses on wrestling, should be able to outwrestle the kickboxer."
Check out Luke Rockhold's comments below:
Alex Pereira open to a potential trilogy fight against Jiri Prochazka
UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira recently opened up on a potential trilogy fight against Jiri Prochazka.
The 37-year-old claimed that he's open to the idea of giving Prochazka another crack at the title following the Czechs tar's knockout win over Jamahal Hill at UFC 311 earlier this month.
'Poatan' beat Prochazka twice via knockout but the former champ has been adamant about getting another chance to regain the light heavyweight title. For now, Pereira's focus remains on defending the title against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313.
Speaking on a potential clash against Prochazka, the Brazilian told ESPN MMA:
"I’m ready to fight anybody. It doesn’t matter who it is. Right now, it’s Ankalaev’s time. I’m going to fight Ankalaev. But after this fight, if everything’s good, we’re going to give Jiri an opportunity as well. He said he wants it, he’s going to have it.”
Check out Alex Pereira's comments below:
