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Alex Pereira called out by undefeated UFC champion for surprise superfight

Originally posted on MMA on SI | By Drew Beaupre | Last updated Oct 6, 2025 7:58 AM ET

It’s not often that you see a reigning UFC champion call out another to fight in what would be an entirely new weight class for both of them.

The attention of the MMA world was firmly centered on T-Mobile Arena last Saturday, as Alex Pereira stepped into the cage to rematch Magomed Ankalaev in the main event of UFC 320 and only needed 80 seconds to stop Ankalaev and reclaim his light heavyweight title.

Pereira once again opened the door to a potential heavyweight move immediately following the win, and apparently UFC Middleweight Champion Khamzat Chimaev would be happy to jump up two weight classes to meet “Poatan” there.

Khamzat Chimaev Wants Heavyweight Fight With Alex Pereira

Wasting very little time after Pereira reclaimed his belt, Chimaev jumped on social media the day after UFC 320 and called for a super fight with the Brazilian in the heavyweight division.

I'm ready to fight you in the heavyweight, you won't find a super fight than our fight no chama this is SMASH EVERYBODY
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) October 5, 2025

“I’m ready to fight you in the heavyweight, you won’t find a super fight than our fight no chama this is SMASH EVERYBODY”

A perfect 15-0 in his professional MMA career, Chimaev finally stepped into the Octagon for a long-awaited title shot when he challenged Dricus du Plessis for the middleweight strap at UFC 319. Du Plessis was unbeaten in the UFC and had already defended his title twice after winning it in early 2024, but “Borz” dominated the South African for five rounds to take the belt via unanimous decision.

Multiple Options For Alex Pereira's Next Fight

A meeting with the current UFC middleweight champion likely wasn’t what Pereira had in mind when he reintroduced the idea of moving to heavyweight, which is already something both he and fans openly discussed during his first reign with the light heavyweight belt.

Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

“Poatan” moved up to 205 lbs. after losing the middleweight title in a rematch with Israel Adesanya at UFC 287, which marked his first setback since joining the UFC. Following a split decision against former divisional king Jan Blachowciz, Pereira claimed the vacant light heavyweight title by stopping Jiří Procházka and went on to defend the belt three times before his first meeting with Ankalaev last March.

Pereira does seem to already have his next light heavyweight title challenger lined up in the form of #3-ranked knockout artist Carlos Ulberg, and rather than a Chimaev matchup the Brazilian’s latest win has reignited talks of a more realistic heavyweight super fight with the division’s current titleholder Tom Aspinall.