Alex Pereira has officially made weight for UFC 313.
Pereira defends his light-heavyweight title in Las Vegas this weekend against Magomed Ankalaev.
The Brazilian from Sao Paulo has come a long way since working in a tyre shop for 68p a day to becoming the UFC’s biggest star.
He will put his 205-pound strap on the line for the fourth when he headlines UFC 313, after finishing 2024 with three defences of the title.
Ahead of UFC 313, Pereira’s weight was made official in Las Vegas, where he tipped the scales at exactly 205lbs, which is the maximum limit for a light-heavyweight title bout.
This had several MMA fans questioning how Pereira, who has previously held the middleweight belt, ever made weight in his previous division.
One fan took to X and said: “How was he making 185? Crazy.”
Another added: “Best shape I’ve seen him on the scales in a long time. Ankalaev is finished.”
While a third reiterated: “How did he ever make 185?”
Ankalaev was also present at the UFC 313 weigh-in on Friday, hitting the scales at exactly the same weight as Pereira at 205lbs.
Before Pereira won gold in the UFC light-heavyweight division, he was the king of the middleweights.
The maximum weight limit for a UFC middleweight is 186lbs for a non-title bout, while title fights require athletes to weigh in at or under 185lbs.
The 37-year-old first appeared in the UFC as a middleweight, knocking out Andreas Michailidis with a stunning flying knee on his debut in November 2021.
He then defeated Bruno Silva via unanimous decision four months later, before earning a title shot by stopping Sean Strickland with a brutal KO.
In his first shot at a UFC title, Pereira shocked the world by finishing Israel Adesanya in the fifth and final round of their main event bout at UFC 281 in November 2022.
He was then knocked out in the rematch five months later by Adesanya, before moving up 20lbs to light-heavyweight.
Looking ahead to UFC 313, Adesanya, who has fought Pereira four times in total during his fighting career, sees nothing else but the Brazilian retaining his belt.
“I’m going to go with Pereira because of momentum,” he said on his YouTube channel.
“He is just on a tear right now. I like the way he’s even able to do it with the amount of travel he does.
“I think it’s going to go leg kicks, leg kicks, leg kicks, left hook. Alex Pereira by KO over two-and-a-half rounds.
“He’s going to knock him out in the fourth or fifth round.”
Adesanya dropped the middleweight title to Strickland five months after reclaiming it against Pereira.
‘The Last Stylebender’ has since suffered two further UFC defeats to Dricus Du Plessis and Nassourdine Imavov.
Pereira made his light-heavyweight debut in July 2023, beating Jan Blachowicz by split decision after three rounds.
Blachowicz is also backing Pereira to come out victorious at UFC 313.
“If Ankalaev fights, he’s going to lose. He needs to do more,” he said.
“He’s a good fighter, but that style won’t work against Pereira. He has to believe in what he’s doing, not just fight carefully to avoid punches…
“Three fights ago, I would have picked Ankalaev, but now Pereira.”
UFC 313 takes place in the early hours of Sunday morning for UK fans.
The co-main event witnesses a tasty lightweight bout between Justin Gaethje and Rafael Fiziev, while Jalin Turner, Amanda Lemos, Mauricio Ruffy and Curtis Blaydes all appear on the Las Vegas card.
