Oh boy, Alex Pereira’s got himself in a bit of a pickle, hasn’t he? Just when we thought he’d be jumping back into the octagon in a few weeks, life threw a curveball. Or should I say, a couple of broken toes did.
So, here’s the scoop. The UFC light heavyweight champ, fresh off his win at UFC 300 against Jamahal Hill, was eyeing a quick return. He wanted to dazzle us again at the May 4 pay-per-view in Rio. But, you know, plans and reality sometimes don’t mix.
In a chat with Brazilian journalist Laerte Viana on Wednesday, Pereira dropped the bomb. Apparently, he’d broken the toe on his right foot 15 days before his last fight. Talk about bad timing, right? But wait, it gets better (or worse, depending on how you look at it). During the actual fight, he went and broke his left toe too. Ouch.
Now, with two busted toes, Pereira’s chances of fighting soon are looking slim. He’s pretty bummed about it, especially since he was keen on showing off for his Brazilian fans. But, he’s not about to risk his career over it. Smart guy.
Funny enough, during the fight, there was this moment where he accidentally stepped on Hill’s foot. It looked intentional, but Pereira swears it wasn’t. Just one of those things that happen in the heat of the moment, I guess.
Looking ahead, if May’s off the table, Pereira’s eyeing August for his next fight. The UFC Fight Night event in Abu Dhabi sounds like a good stage for his comeback. He’s got his eyes on Magomed Ankalaev, which could be quite the showdown.
But before any of that, he’s gotta have a chat with Glover Teixeira and his team. Pereira respects Glover’s experience and wants to make sure he’s making the right moves. It’s like they say, better safe than sorry. Especially in the fight game.