UFC superstar Alex Pereira criticized UFC commentator Daniel Cormier for pushing for Ciryl Gane to fight Josh Hokit next instead of him.
Gane defeated Pereira at UFC Freedom 250 in June to win the interim UFC heavyweight title, but the bout featured several fouls by Gane that led to Pereira openly complaining about referee Herb Dean’s refusal to take away a point for the illegal strikes to the back of the head.
While there was some talk about a rematch between Pereira and Gane, the UFC ultimately chose to go with Hokit for the next UFC heavyweight title shot again, something which Pereira partly blames Cormier for.
Alex Pereira Upset He Didn’t Get Title Shot
Speaking to Laerte Viana, Pereira expressed his displeasure with not getting the UFC heavyweight title shot, which went to Hokit instead.
“I spoke directly with Hunter (Campbell) and Hunter said this would be the fight, you know, with Gane and Hokit. When I released a video (on my YouTube), I was still expecting, like, man, they wanted to book me, you know? But after that video, the organization said they did kind of a poll, a vote, I didn’t see it, and that the public wanted it, but after they booked this fight and announced it, I didn’t see it that way. At first the organization said they did a poll and stuff and that this would be the fight, you know?” Pereira said (via Bloody Elbow).
“I said, ‘Okay’, I didn’t agree with it but they’re the ones in charge. It’s all kind of manipulated, you know? I saw some things afterwards, even before they released the announcement, like Cormier and other guys saying it would be a good fight. Like, when I say people, it’s influencers, right, people who have a lot of engagement… The UFC were like, ‘Go ahead and say that this fight is good so when we drop it, the public will already be okay with it.’ They did everything to make people believe this is the fight. You take Cormier, when I spoke to him, I asked him, ‘Hey, this fight, if I become champion against Gane, am I the champion?’ He said, ‘Well I don’t think so, you have to win’, so the guy has some opinions that don’t make sense… They’re trying to influence people to think that this would be the best fight.”
Alex Pereira Can Still Get Title Shot
Although Pereira is understandably upset that he got passed over for the title shot for Hokit, he will still get a chance to get a title shot against the winner of Gane vs. Hokit if he can get past Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 335 in December.
It might not be what Pereira wants, and he’s clearly upset that the UFC didn’t give him the title shot that he desired, but he is one win away from getting a title shot in the UFC heavyweight division should he get past Pavlovich when the two meet at UFC 335 this winter.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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