Alex Pereira has carried the UFC in 2024, but he’s done fighting for the year and won’t be back for a while.
Pereira would like to return to the Octagon in December, but due to some sponsorship responsibilities, the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion told the Uncrowned’s Ariel Helwani that he won’t be back until March.
“If it was up to me, I’d fight in December,” Pereira said. “The problem is, the two fights happened too soon. We had a lot of appearances, trips and a lot of business we had to do. The organization understood, so we think that around March is a good date.”
Here is a look at the clip with his coach, Plinio Cruz, who is translating.
Pereira emerged as a true combat sports superstar in 2024. He became the UFC’s biggest draw amongst active fighters and is the odds-on favorite for Fighter of the Year.
Pereira will end the year with a perfect 3-0 record with KO wins in three title defenses against Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 in April, Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303 in June, and Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307 two weeks ago.
No fighter in the UFC, MMA, and quite possibly in combat sports has Poatan’s presence, and with him out of action for five months, the promotion will need someone or a group of fighters to rise to the occasion. The promotion has October and November covered.
The UFC 308 main event is as exciting and potentially awesome as possible. On October 26, UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria will look to defend his title against one of the greatest 145-pound champions in history, Max Holloway. In November, the greatest mixed martial artist of all time, Jon Jones, returns to take on the greatest heavyweight in UFC history, Stipe Miocic.
The winner has an instant megafight set up with interim champion Tom Aspinall–unless they choose to retire. After November, things could get a little tricky regarding high-level drawing power for the UFC. UFC 310 is a hardcore MMA fans’ card, with Belal Muhammad defending his welterweight title for the first time against Shavkat Rahkmonov in the main event.
However, that’s not a fight that will bring in casual fans.
Conor McGregor and Dan Hooker have personally agreed to fight on February 1 in Saudi Arabia. Still, there’s not a ton of confidence in the former making any date at this point. If McGregor does fight, he brings a crowd like no one else, but that’s a big “if.”
Kayla Harrison is emerging as a real star. If she fights and defeats Julianna Pena for the UFC women’s bantamweight title in January, it will create a path for her to fight Amanda Nunes–who has teased a comeback.
Keep an eye on the UFC’s calendar from December to March, as a gap exists for a new or old face to emerge in Poatan’s absence.
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