Alex Pereira has finally answered Jiri Procházka’s comment about the former being “not a good martial artist.” According to the Brazilian, it is an advantage for him when an opponent downplays his knowledge and skills.
In October, the Czech MMA fighter made the comment, stressing that while Poatan excels in striking, he lacks in wrestling.
“I have to say, Alex, he’s not a good martial artist like on the ground on the wrestling, but one thing he can do and knows what to do is his striking. It will be a pleasure to compete with him in the stand-up,” said Procházka last month.
“He’s good in stand-up but not good in wrestling and all these things. He’s too much focused on striking. He’s very good at that, but on the other things, other styles, he’s not good, too. I am not too good of a wrestler to say that, but I think I am better than him. Doesn’t matter. That’s my opinion, my stance.”
Pereira affirmed in a recent podcast interview that other fighters also seem in the same way.
“Not only him, but everyone who fights me think that way,” Pereira said on Trocação Franca podcast.
During the conversation, Poatan mentioned his experience with Jan Blachowicz, whom he defeated at UFC 291 in July. According to the former UFC middleweight champion, Blachowicz had the same thought about him, and these low expectations actually benefitted him in their bout.
“Maybe [Jan] Blachowicz got frustrated a little bit; he thought it was going to be too easy to get my back and submit me because I’m not a jiu-jitsu guy, but I train really hard and I’m evolving, you know? I’m training with Glover and I know how hard it is for Glover to try a submission on me, to submit me. When [my opponent] comes with that mindset that I know nothing on the ground, that’s great for me.”
Pereira hopes to have the same outcome in his upcoming fight against Procházka, suggesting in a recent statement his hope to deliver his first submission victory. As the Brazilian fighter shared, several people are helping him “understand” Procházka’s game. This includes Glover Teixeira, who experienced firsthand the style of Procházka during their fight after losing to the Czech. Many believe that Teixeira’s advice would aid Pereira in winning the bout. However, Procházka negated this, saying that after his fight with Teixeira, he changed himself and is in “a different style” now.
