Chris Weidman thinks there’s a main gap in Alex Pereira’s sport, and he’s evaluating it to Ben Askren’s placing.
Pereira is coming off the primary protection of his mild heavyweight title as he scored a first-round knockout win over Jamahal Hill in the principle occasion of UFC 300. Pereira hasn’t even been within the UFC for 3 full years and already has received titles in two completely different weight courses.
It’s been a historic rise for Alex Pereira, however Chris Weidman thinks his wrestling continues to be a significant flaw in his sport.
“It’s laborious for me to get absolutely behind Pereira as a result of I do see such a gap with the wrestling, and he hasn’t actually fought wrestlers,” Weidman stated on the “Imagine You Me” podcast (by way of MMAJunkie). “It’s nearly so loopy, and it’s such a deficiency based mostly on what we’ve seen up to now. It’s nearly like Ben Askren coming into the UFC and with the ability to simply turn into a multiple-time champion with no fingers.
“It’s like a striker Ben Askren and considering, ‘How the hell is that this man the world champion?’ He was capable of do it in Bellator, he was capable of do it (in ONE Championship). I imply, the man had an unbelievable MMA profession and he had no placing in any respect. … This man’s nearly the alternative. I might nearly say he’s as dangerous (at) wrestling as Ben Askren is with placing.”
Pereira hasn’t needed to present a lot of his wrestling in his UFC profession, however he has been engaged on it with Glover Teixeira and has obtained a BJJ black belt for his efforts. Nonetheless, Chris Weidman says it’s bizarre that Alex Pereira will go down as one of many best fighters ever when there’s such a flaw in his sport.
“This man might go down as among the finest fighters of all time,” Weidman stated. “It’s bizarre to see. I don’t know if it’s simply the matchups or the evolution of the game.”
Regardless of Weidman considering there’s a flaw in Pereira’s sport together with his wrestling, the Brazilian is has been capable of maintain his fights standings and knock his opponents out.