SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 05: Alex Pereira of Brazil reacts after his TKO victory against … [+]
Alex Pereira finished 2024 with three successful UFC light heavyweight title defenses. The 37-year-old, who also held the UFC middleweight crown in 2022-23, was also one of the two fighters in the running for 2024’s MMA fighter of the year. Pereira is the betting favorite to finish 2025 as the UFC light heavyweight champ.
Pereira (11-2) won the UFC light heavyweight title in his second fight at 205 pounds under the UFC banner. The former middleweight champion with the promotion, Pereira moved up to 205 pounds after losing the 185-pound belt to the man he took it from, Israel Adesanya. The loss to Adesanya came in November 2022. In July 2023, Pereira made his UFC light heavyweight debut.
Pereira faced former UFC champion Jan Blachowicz in that matchup, winning the fight by split decision. In November 2023, he fought for the vacant light heavyweight belt, knocking out ex-champ Jiri Prochazka in the second round.
Pereira’s first defense of the title came in April 2024 when he knocked out another ex-UFC champion, Jamahal Hill, in the first round of their UFC 300 matchup. His second title defense was a rematch with Prochazka. That bout, which took place at UFC 303, also ended by second-round KO. In his most recent title defense, which headlined UFC 307 in early October, Pereira left Khalil Rountree nearly unrecognizable fighting behind a jab that didn’t seem to miss its mark.
His performances over the past year put Pereira in the running alongside UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria for 2024 Fighter of the Year.
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Betting Odds To End 2025 With Title
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 05: Alex Pereira of Brazil prepares to face Khalil Rountree Jr. in … [+]
Alex Pereira: +150
Magomed Ankalaev: +190
Jamahal Hill: +700
Jiri Prochazka: +900
Carlos Ulberg: +1000
Jan Blachowicz: +1400
Dominick Reyes: +1800
Aleksander Rakic: +2000
Khalil Rountree: +2500
Khamzat Chimaev: +2500
Nikita Krylov: +3300
Volkan Oezdemir: +5000
Johnny Walker: +6600
Azamat Murzakanov: +6600
Bogdan Guskov: +8000
Alonzo Menifield: +8000
*Odds via BetOnline
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira Move To Heavyweight?
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – OCTOBER 05: (R-L) Alex Pereira of Brazil punches Khalil Rountree Jr. in the … [+]
As for a possible move to heavyweight, Pereira addressed that at the UFC 307 post-fight press conference.
“I’ve called for (heavyweight) before, and (UFC CEO) Dana (White) came in there and was very happy, and he said he was going to take care of me,” Pereira said through an interpreter at the UFC 307 post-fight press conference. “I think that if the UFC wants to please me, I think maybe a fight at heavyweight one day would be something that would really please me.”
Pereira is among the betting favorites to end 2025 with the UFC heavyweight title.
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira’s Next Fight
Pereira’s next opponent is likely to be Magomed Ankalaev. The No. 1 fighter in the official UFC light heavyweight rankings sports a 19-1-1-1 career record. He is coming off an October decision win over Aleksander Rakic at UFC 308.
That fight has not been announced, but Ankalaev tweeted in November that UFC CEO Dana White told him he would be the next opponent for Pereira.
Stay tuned for more betting odds for UFC champions at the end of 2025.
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