Alex Pereira and Artem Vakhitov had a tied record of one win each in their two battles during GLORY title fights. Pereira then shifted his focus to MMA entirely. Vakhitov’s recent statements have caught Pereira off guard.
In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Vakhitov commended Pereira as a standout athlete but also indicated his desire for a rematch, this time in an MMA bout, as Vakhitov is now fully committed to his MMA journey. Vakhitov critiqued Pereira’s defensive skills and highlighted how many of his opponents have felt intimidated by him. Vakhitov is confident in his ability to defeat Pereira for the third time in a UFC trilogy match.
Following Vakhitov’s remarks, Pereira, who recently defended his title at UFC 303, addressed him on Instagram, cautioning him to be careful about who he listens to. Pereira hinted at a possible managerial problem for Vakhitov and suggested that he reach out to Pereira’s manager for guidance.
In January 2021, Pereira achieved the status of an undisputed two-division champion in GLORY with a victory over Vakhitov. However, Vakhitov managed to reclaim his title in a subsequent rematch later that year. Pereira proceeded to make his UFC debut shortly after, securing a knockout win.