Las Vegas, NV – All roads lead to a title shot for UFC middleweight Alex Pereira after he defeated Sean Strickland by knockout at UFC 276 on Saturday night.
“Super happy (with the win). It just shows our training and everything is working,” Pereira told Cageside Press among other media through a translator at his post-fight scrum.
Strickland seemed to choose to stand with Pereira who is an accomplished kickboxer having won titles in Glory kickboxing among others. It turned out to be a poor decision.
“He absolutely started going for the takedowns, but everything happened very early in the fight. I was still feeling the fight, I was hurting his body, kicking the legs, going for the body. He was comfortable on his feet before he got caught,” Pereira said.
Following his victory Pereira was front row cage side for the title fight between Israel Adesanya and Jared Cannonier.
“It was not a fight that, not only not exciting, but (the crowd was) not excited. I was very sad to see that. So I hope when we fight he’ll do a better fight than that,” said Pereira.
“For sure I’m going to make him fight to give a better show to the crowd.”
With all paths leading to Adesanya now Pereira knows the fight will be on the champion’s schedule.
“Whenever he’s ready. I just finished my fight I’m fine. Going to take two weeks to enjoy my life a little bit, but whenever he thinks he’s ready I’m good,” Pereira said.
Before the fight Strickland said that he could stand with Pereira disregarding the Brazilian’s kickboxing roots.
“A lot of people talk, specially fighters, they think they have a chance over me. Feels good to prove that (they don’t) because by the end of the day it’s what the people want. And the people want to see knockouts, people want to see the style that I fight,” said Pereira.
“People want to see whoever is front of me getting knocked out. That’s what I bring for them.”
Watch the full UFC 276 post-fight press scrum with Alex Pereira above.
