Alex Pereira, the Brazilian fighter who made history by becoming a two-division champion in both kickboxing and MMA, is widely regarded for his striking skills and grappling abilities. However, the last man to defeat him in kickboxing, Artem Vakhitov, believes that Pereira has a significant vulnerability.
In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Vakhitov shared his insights on Pereira’s fighting style. According to Vakhitov, Pereira’s aggressive approach leaves him exposed to skilled strikers:
“His biggest weakness is that he is all attack, he has no defense. Because of his lack of defense, he is open to taking a lot of punches to the head if he’s facing a skilled striker. You saw that in his second fight with Adesanya. He got caught because he leaves a lot of openings for people who know what they are doing.”
Vakhitov Plans To Continue His Rivalry With Alex Pereira in UFC
Vakhitov, who defeated Pereira in kickboxing, plans to continue their rivalry in the UFC. Alex Pereira’s arrival in the UFC was fueled by his clashes with Israel Adesanya, resulting in high-stakes title fights. Now, Vakhitov aims for a trilogy match against Pereira in MMA: “MMA was always interesting for me anyway, but obviously I am very motivated by the prospect of getting that trilogy match with Pereira.”
Alex Pereira’s legacy remains impressive, but his vulnerability to skilled strikers is a point of interest for opponents. As the UFC light heavyweight champion, Pereira must address this weakness to maintain his dominance in the sport.