Does Alex Pereira have three options for next opponent?

Alex Pereira is a mega star for the UFC and his win over Khalil Rountree at UFC 307 cemented that even further. Now everyone’s eyes are looking forward to what could be next for Pereira.

Will it be Ankalaev? Rakic? Hill? Du Plessis? Let’s take some looks at what could be his next and best options.

Alex Pereira versus Magomed Ankalaev or Aleksandar Rakic

This fight is the only one that makes sense. Later this month, Magomed Ankalaev and Aleksandar Rakic are fighting on the main card of UFC 308. For a long while now, we’ve been calling for an Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev matchup. But now both he and Rakic are scheduled to face off and the winner will presumably be a number one contender bout.

After his win at UFC 307, Pereira said he wants to take some time off, and it is well deserved. This year alone, Pereira has fought Jamahal Hill at UFC 300, Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303, and Rountree this past weekend. It’s only October and three fights in less than 10 months is crazy.

Magomed Ankalaev has long been deserving of the shot, but the UFC doesn’t seem keen on giving him that shot. Ankalaev fought Jan Blachowicz for the vacant title in 2022. That fight was ruled a draw and the vacant title bout was rebooked to which Jamahal Hill would win his title. Many still believe that Ankalaev’s wins over Oezdemir, Santos and Smith in 2021/22 hold the same weight and a no contest and draw with Johnny Walker are his most recent works.

Aleksandar Rakic, on the other hand, hasn’t been able to get out of his own way. He’s riding two losses on the trot. First, his knee blows out in the third round of a close fight with Jan Blachowicz. Then at UFC 300, he took a loss to Jiri Prochazka after winning the first round pretty well. Now he gets Ankalaev.

I have zero doubt in my mind that should Rakic win, he will get the shot at Alex Pereira. But it Ankalaev wins, history shows us that there may be shenanigans afoot. Blachowicz comes to mind.