Colby Covington has seen what Alex Pereira can do firsthand and he believes “Poatan” has the facility to place down Jon Jones.
There’s no love misplaced between Covington and Jones, former school roommates who’ve since publicly traded barbs on a number of events throughout their professional combating careers. Each have had nice success following their newbie wrestling days, with Covington changing into a longtime contender at 170 kilos and Jones placing collectively an unimpeachable run because the UFC’s mild heavyweight champion whereas additionally including heavyweight gold to his assortment.
Unsurprisingly, in a superfight between present mild heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and Jones, Covington likes Pereira’s probabilities so as to add Jones to his record of unbelievable knockouts.
“For certain,” Covington informed Submission Radio when requested if Pereira might keep away from Jones’ grappling and land a ending strike. “He might positively catch him. Little doubt about it, Jon’s going to shoot for these legs. He’s not going to wish to get cracked by Alex Pereira, in order that left hook and people kicks are deadly, so I positively suppose he can knock out Jon with a pleasant little left hook.”
Pereira was arguably the Fighter of the 12 months in 2024, headlining three UFC pay-per-views and efficiently defending his title every time by way of KO/TKO. Although the sunshine heavyweight division has a clear-cut No. 1 contender in Magomed Ankalaev, there was loads of buzz about Pereira doubtlessly shifting as much as heavyweight to struggle Jones.
One purpose Covington is assured in Pereira’s skills is that he beforehand educated with the Brazilian knockout artist. Earlier than Pereira totally dedicated to MMA and have become a two-division UFC champion, he was a star within the kickboxing world (the place he additionally captured a pair of Glory belts), and Covington recollects working with Pereira’s group to organize him for a transition to cagefighting.
“There’s no approach you possibly can’t be impressed with the physique of labor that Alex has accomplished,” Covington stated. “Displaying up on quick discover, saving playing cards, knocking individuals foolish unconscious into one other dimension. I’ve at all times revered and favored Alex. I educated with him at that fitness center we have been speaking about earlier than most likely seven or eight years in the past. He got here in with Glover Teixeira and I used to be good mates with Glover, we might at all times go fishing and barbecue in his yard, so he introduced in Alex and he needed me to assist him with wrestling as a result of he was this nice Glory kickboxer, like nasty, like future champ in kickboxing and nobody was going to beat him. So he knew he was already going to get into MMA at the moment when he was kickboxing, however he simply needed to get extra expertise within the placing earlier than he made his run in MMA.
“So I used to be serving to him with wrestling for slightly bit. I respect the man. He’s an excellent figher and he’s had an excellent run, you possibly can’t downplay what he’s been in a position to accomplish on this quick period of time.”
