In eight UFC fights, Alex Pereira has won titles across two divisions and defeated five former champions, primarily as a devastating striker, but analyst and fighter Anthony Smith criticizes Pereira for his limited skill set, despite acknowledging his impressive achievements.
Alex Pereira’s UFC journey is nothing short of impressive. In just eight fights, he’s claimed titles in two divisions and defeated five former champions. His primary weapon? A devastating knockout punch. But, as a lifelong kickboxer with only 12 MMA fights under his belt, he’s got some areas to work on.
Recently, Pereira headlined UFC 300, one of the biggest cards in history. He ended the night with a brutal knockout of Jamahal Hill. Anthony Smith, an analyst and fighter, gave Pereira props for his performance. But, he also had some critiques, which might not sit well with the Brazilian star.
Smith’s been critical of Pereira since day one in the UFC. He’s often left wondering how Pereira keeps winning fights. Pereira’s skill set is limited, according to Smith. He’s exceptional at one thing and average at the rest. But, Smith isn’t trash-talking Pereira. He’s actually praising him. It’s impressive that Pereira’s been able to achieve what he has with his limited skill set.
Smith isn’t about to take back his comments about Pereira just because he keeps winning. Pereira’s striking abilities made him a lethal force in the octagon from day one. But, other areas of his game are still a work in progress.
Pereira’s first light heavyweight fight is a perfect example of his shortcomings. At UF 291, former champ Jan Blachowicz wrestled him to the ground and dominated him for five straight minutes. Smith stands by his analysis of Pereira. He’s not getting lucky. He’s a legitimate threat. But, some of his victories come down to the matchups and circumstances.
Blachowicz gassing out after one round isn’t Pereira’s fault. Smith doesn’t want to diminish that victory. But, he also can’t ignore the facts. Smith believes that if he were in Blachowicz’s position, he would have finished the fight. There wouldn’t have been a second round.
Smith isn’t criticizing Pereira. He thinks Pereira did a great job staying safe. He showed improvement in his grappling. But, Smith believes other light heavyweights would have finished the fight in that position.
Pereira’s next two fights against Jiri Prochazka and Hill didn’t pose the same wrestling and grappling threats. Hill is known for his heavy hands, and Prochazka is known for his wild, non-stop action fights. That’s a dangerous game to play with a knockout artist like Pereira.
Smith doesn’t think Hill posed a wrestling threat. That’s just not his game. Prochazka, on the other hand, is defensively irresponsible. He takes a lot of leg kicks. He got hit a lot in his fight against Aleksandar Rakic. But, he also landed some big shots.
Despite his opponents or stylistic matchups, Pereira keeps finding a way to win. Smith thinks that deserves recognition. Pereira might not like Smith pointing out his weaknesses, but Smith’s just doing his job.
Smith doesn’t think Pereira is ducking anyone. He’s just had some matchups that worked in his favor. Sometimes, things just fall your way. That’s MMA. That’s the game. But, at some point, that luck will run out. That’s just how it goes.