UFC fighter Alex Pereira clarified that despite Joe Rogan’s claims, he did not fight with a broken hand at UFC 313, although he faced other undisclosed challenges, and is eager for a rematch with Magomed Ankalaev, potentially in August.
UFC commentator Joe Rogan stirred the pot on his podcast, claiming Alex Pereira fought with a broken hand and norovirus during his UFC 313 title defense against Magomed Ankalaev. But wait—there’s more to the story.
“Poatan” himself squashed part of that rumor. On The Ariel Helwani Show, Pereira admitted he wasn’t at 100 percent for the fight. However, he clarified that his hands were just fine.
In Portuguese, Pereira shared his philosophy: “I don’t like to give excuses or take away from my opponent’s merit.” Everyone’s got their issues, right? “My hand was fine,” he insisted. Yet, he hinted at other challenges.
So, what really went down before his first loss as a light heavyweight? Pereira’s keeping mum—for now. He did say it was serious enough to make him consider pulling out of the fight.
Reflecting on the bout, Pereira called it one of his most complicated fights ever. No regrets, though. He’s faced tough situations before and came out on top. This time? Not so much. But hey, no hard feelings.
After rewatching the UFC 313 main event, Pereira scored it 48-47 in his favor, taking rounds 1, 3, and 5. Naturally, he’s itching for a rematch.
“I want a rematch with him,” Pereira declared. “I think I have this right for all the work I’ve done.” Talks with the organization haven’t happened yet, though.
Ankalaev dropped a hint on social media about an August rematch. Seems he’s already agreed to something with the UFC. Pereira hasn’t gotten an official offer but is all in for that timeline.
August sounds perfect to him. “I’ll be ready,” Pereira assured. And he’s pumped for what promises to be a different fight altogether.
“If I knock him out, OK,” he mused. “But I feel I’ve got what it takes to do everything I want with this guy.”