Former UFC fighter Robelis Despaigne has shared his thoughts on the current UFC light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira. According to Despaigne, Pereira is a natural heavyweight who cuts down to 205 pounds to compete in the light heavyweight division. Despaigne, a 6’7″ heavyweight and Olympic taekwondo bronze medalist, recently sparred with Pereira and believes the Brazilian has the power advantage.
Despaigne’s assessment is based on his experience sparring with Pereira, where he observed the champion’s heavyweight power despite being undersized. He also noted that Pereira weighs around 240 pounds, similar to other heavyweights like Ciryl Gane. Despaigne thinks Pereira could potentially compete in the middleweight division as well, given his ability to cut down to 185 pounds.
The Cuban fighter also shared his thoughts on a potential matchup between Pereira and Jon Jones. Despaigne believes that if Jones makes a mistake, Pereira could knock him out. However, he also acknowledged that Jones has his strengths, particularly in wrestling, which could be a challenge for Pereira.
In a separate analysis, former UFC middleweight title holder Michael Bisping predicted that Jones would employ a strategy similar to what he used against Ciryl Gane to defeat Pereira. Bisping thinks Jones would take Pereira down to gain an advantage in the fight.
The potential matchup between Jones and Pereira is highly anticipated, with many believing that Jones would be too much for the current light heavyweight champion. However, Despaigne’s comments suggest that Pereira’s power and versatility could make him a formidable opponent for Jones. As the MMA community continues to speculate about the potential fight, it remains to be seen how Pereira would fare against Jones in the octagon.
