Alex Pereira has been a part of some pretty wild fight builds over the years, but being verbally attacked by a fighter he’s not even facing was a little bit new to him.
Pereira is set to face Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in the co-main event of UFC White House, which takes place June 14 on the South Lawn. This past month, Pereira took part in a UFC White House pre-event press conference prior to the UFC 328 ceremonial weigh-ins. Things turned quickly when Josh Hokit — who faces Derrick
Lewis at the event — started hurling insults Pereira’s way. Eventually, lightweight champ and White House headliner Ilia Topuria stood up for Pereira, and things got separated and Hokit was removed.
Ahead of the fight, Pereira was asked if Hokit or Topuria’s behavior in that moment stood out more.
“Much more surprised with Topuria to stand up, defend me, staying by my side, because I think he felt bad that I don’t speak English, and many things were being saying there were kind of like the translation was not sharp because it’s when it’s too simultaneous like that, it’s not too good,” Pereira told MMA Fighting through a translator.
“So I think that I’m definitely impressed by him, by Ilia Topuria.”
Pereira competes for the first time at heavyweight in the blockbuster bout, with the winner expected to face Tom Aspinall in a unification bout later this year, or whenever Aspinall can return from eye damage suffered in his most recent bout against Gane at UFC 321 this past October.
Pereira is not really a fan of the out-of-the-cage trash talk, and says he was stoic throughout the entire situation with Hokit, and then Topuria.
“Well, honestly, I was just chill over there,” Pereria said. “I was not able to see too much stuff. Everything happened too fast. I just saw later.”
Hokit has flown up the divisional rankings with a 3-0 start to his UFC run, along with three bonuses. In his most recent outing, “The Incredible Hok” defeated Curtis Blaydes in one of the best heavyweight bouts in UFC history at April’s UFC 327 event. Hokit wasn’t a fan of Topuria defending Pereira, and thought “Poatan” could’ve fended for himself.
Pereira has seen a lot in his storied combat sports career, but has he ever expereince anything like Hokit?
“No, no, no,” Pereira said. “I never saw [anything like] this”
