Glover Teixeira will be in Alex Pereira’s corner when “Poatan” defends his light heavyweight belt against knockout artist Khalil Rountree in the UFC 307 main event Saturday, and he believes Pereira has a good chance if he moves up to the heavyweight division.
Although Pereira had considered moving up in the past, he is now leaning towards dropping back down to 185 pounds to challenge champion Dricus du Plessis. Teixeira, however, is confident that Pereira’s power will still be effective in the heavyweight division.
Teixeira stated, “[Pereira’s] knockout power is unbelievable. He’s a natural knockout artist, and if he goes up in weight class, he will still be a threat to anyone, including top fighters like Khalil, Jon Jones, or Stipe Miocic.”
Pereira previously held the UFC middleweight title but lost it to Israel Adesanya before moving up to light heavyweight, where he has been successful with three knockout wins and two title defenses.
Teixeira mentioned that the team is focused on making Pereira stronger and heavier for a potential move to the heavyweight division. He emphasized Pereira’s strength and ability to compete in the higher weight class.
As a former light heavyweight champion, Teixeira supports Pereira’s decision to move up in weight if he chooses to do so. He believes that going up to heavyweight would be easier for Pereira, but ultimately, the decision rests with the fighter.
Teixeira highlighted the importance of professional advice in determining whether Pereira can safely move back down to middleweight. He acknowledged the challenges of cutting weight due to Pereira’s muscle gain from wrestling training.
In the upcoming fight, Rountree aims to thwart Pereira’s ambitions of holding multiple UFC titles simultaneously. Pereira has prepared extensively for the fight, including training at high altitude to adapt to the conditions in Salt Lake City.
Teixeira acknowledged the unpredictability of fights and the possibility of Rountree resorting to takedowns to counter Pereira’s striking prowess. He praised Pereira’s speed and explosiveness in the octagon.