Pereira & Strickland | HOF
Alex Pereira Scared?
Pereira admits Strickland scared him: ‘I thought he was going to kill me’ – MMAmania.com
Alex Pereira, the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion, has built a reputation as one of the most dangerous strikers in MMA. But even he wasn’t immune to fear before stepping into the octagon against Sean Strickland at UFC 276.
Speaking in an interview to So Papos MMA back in 2022 Pereira revealed that he was initially scared of Strickland due to his experience and ranking in the middleweight division. At the time, Strickland was on a strong run, ranked No. 4 in the world, with 25 professional fights under his belt. Pereira recognized the danger his opponent posed but managed to keep his emotions in check—at least until fight night.
“I was scared, but when I heard him talk, I relaxed a little bit. He is a good fighter and an experienced one, but he was talking some stuff that didn’t make any sense,” Pereira explained. “Since the fight was booked, I had fear, but it was under control.”
That fear, however, resurfaced in a big way when Strickland stepped into the octagon. Pereira described the shift in Strickland’s demeanor, saying he became a different person once the fight started.
“When he entered the octagon and started staring at me, he hadn’t looked at me that way before. That was when I became scared.”
Strickland vs Pereira | UFC
Strickland’s intensity in the cage made Pereira feel like he was fighting an entirely different version of the outspoken American.
“I thought, ‘this guy is going to k*ll me.’ But in the end, it was good that he entered the octagon this way, because I became aware of the danger, I knew I couldn’t make mistakes,” Pereira said.
Despite the fear, Pereira remained composed and executed his game plan perfectly, knocking Strickland out in the first round with his signature left hook. That victory propelled Pereira into a title fight against Israel Adesanya, where he would go on to become the middleweight champion.
Pereira admitted that had Strickland entered the fight in his usual goofy, trash-talking manner, he might not have taken the fight as seriously, potentially leading to a different outcome. Instead, the pressure heightened his focus, ensuring he stayed sharp and capitalized on his opportunities.
While Pereira has since moved up to light heavyweight and captured gold in a second division, his reflection on the Strickland fight is a reminder that even the most fearless fighters experience doubt—but it’s how they handle that fear that separates champions from the rest.
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