Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight champion Luke Rockhold has recently stoked the fires of rivalry with a contentious statement about his former peer, Alex Pereira. Rockhold, who was present in Miami, Florida for Karate Combat 40 (KC40) as a guest sensei and play-by-play commentator, didn’t hold back when Pereira’s name was mentioned, confidently stating, “Give me 10 seconds on the ground. I’ll f—king kill that motherf—ker.”

Grappling Expertise and Kick Record: Rockhold’s Claim to Fame

It’s not an empty boast from Rockhold, who is renowned for his elite grappling skills. Even though every fight commences on the feet, and Rockhold hasn’t recently tasted much success in that position, his assertion stands. This claim takes on a speculative tone given that Rockhold, the former Strikeforce champion, retired from mixed martial arts (MMA) post his defeat to Paulo Costa at UFC 278. Adding a silver lining to his illustrious career, Rockhold has managed to shatter Pereira’s kick record set last December at KC 37.

Future Fight Night: Pereira’s Upcoming Debut and Rockhold’s Past Encounter

In the upcoming month, Alex Pereira is slated to make his Light Heavyweight debut against Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291. As the MMA world eagerly awaits this showdown, fans cannot help but reminisce about Rockhold’s last bout at BKFC 41, which concluded with Mike Perry winning after a severe mouth injury suffered by Rockhold. Regardless of their individual journeys, Rockhold and Pereira continue to captivate fans with their combative prowess and intense rivalry.

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Upon hearing that Pereira was stepping up to the light heavyweight division, Blachowicz was quick to grab this potentially career-defining opportunity. After a disappointing majority draw against Magomed Ankalaev, Blachowicz is eager to return to title contention.

“When I heard that he would come to our division, I just want to fight against him,” Blachowicz said on The MMA Hour. His enthusiasm led to swift negotiations, resulting in this eagerly awaited match.

Pereira earned a title shot in just his fifth professional MMA fight, his preexisting rivalry with Adesanya fueling his swift ascent. However, a knockout by Adesanya at UFC 287 ended Pereira’s reign in the 185-pound division. Instead of seeking a trilogy, Pereira opted to move up a weight class, and Blachowicz is keen to see how that plays out.

Blachowicz boasts a formidable track record with fighters transitioning from middleweight, notably breaking Luke Rockhold’s jaw when the American tried the same move. He also dealt Adesanya his only other defeat since joining the UFC roster.

“If you change weight category, you can spar in your gym with the bigger guys. But when you fight, it’s completely different,” Blachowicz shared. He is confident in his ability to put Pereira through the same trial-by-fire initiation into the 205-pound division.

Interestingly, the UFC wasn’t just receptive to Blachowicz’s proactive call-out; they also offered him a tempting incentive. If he defeats Pereira, a title shot awaits, likely pitting him against the winner of the anticipated showdown between current light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill and former champion Jiri Prochazka.

Blachowicz is well aware of the stakes. The excitement of possibly bringing the belt back home to Poland has only fueled his motivation further. However, he isn’t underestimating Pereira. His admiration for Pereira’s striking abilities has him looking forward to testing his own standup skills against one of the best.

“I want to check how my striking is going to look against him,” said Blachowicz. According to the former light heavyweight champion, beating Alex Pereira could be his golden ticket back to a title shot.

Blachowicz vs. Pereira: a clash of titans at UFC 291, Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City. This is one fight fans will not want to miss.

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