Alex Pereira and Dana White (Photo by Getty Images)

Alex Pereira Praises Former Kickboxing Rival After UFC Vegas 113 Win, Urges Dana White & Co. To Give Him His Due

Originally posted on Total Pro Sports | By Pavan Sharma | Last updated Feb 8, 2026 12:13 AM ET

Dustin Jacoby just earned his third consecutive knockout, tying for the third-most knockouts in the light heavyweight division with 7 overall finishes. That finishing rate deserves recognition beyond just wins. And talking about his win, Alex Pereira showed major respect to his former kickboxing rival after Jacoby’s UFC Vegas 113 win.

The nostalgia from their Glory days clearly hit Pereira. Sharing the video of himself watching Jacoby’s win, ‘Poatan’ wants to see ‘The Hanyak’ ranked to show the evolution both fighters have undergone, transitioning to a different sport. Pereira urged the UFC to show some respect for his name and place him in the rankings.

He said, “Incredible work, Dustin Jacoby. Put some respect on his name and place him in the rankings! Nostalgia from the Glory days – would love to see him in the rankings to show the evolution that has occurred in a different sport! Chama.”

Their history adds context to Pereira’s support. They fought on March 8, 2014, in Zagreb, Croatia, during the GLORY 14 Middleweight Contender Tournament. That was Alex’s GLORY debut, and he made an immediate statement. Pereira knocked Jacoby out in the first round at 2:02. Meanwhile, this post might be a hint at Pereira’s future plan.

Alex Pereira Hints At Possible Future Fight With Dustin Jacoby

Dustin Jacoby (Image Credits: Imagn)

Both fighters now compete in the UFC at light heavyweight. Alex Pereira became champion and is one of the best fighters in the world. Dustin Jacoby is also doing great, winning fights by knockout and building strong momentum. After his win, Jacoby said he wants to fight on the White House card. Pereira has also said for a long time that he wants the same thing.

Dustin Jacoby wants to fight on the White House card and play golf with Trump.pic.twitter.com/VzhMJWOUWQ
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) February 8, 2026

What makes this interesting is how Pereira talks about Jacoby. He could ignore him, but he does not. Instead, he supports him and gives him respect. That shows real class. It feels like he may be setting up a future fight. It is similar to how Israel Adesanya once helped build a rivalry with Pereira before they fought.

This article first appeared on Total Pro Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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