After a seven month period without the belt, Alex Pereira is back to being the UFC light heavyweight champion. \u201cPoatan\u201d now has some big plans ahead of him, and none of them involve rematching Magomed Ankalaev.<\/p>\n
Ankalaev beat Pereira back in March at UFC 313 via decision, and then Pereira beat Ankalaev via first round KO<\/a> at UFC 320 (watch the entire fight here).<\/a> In Pereira\u2019s mind, the controversial decision from the first fight added to the destruction in the second fight mean there\u2019s no need for a third.<\/p>\n \u201cIn the first fight, the way I was, the way I was feeling, I couldn\u2019t do anything and left everyone wondering who won,\u201d Pereira told Podcast Connect Cast. \u201cFor me, I think I won this fight. But many people were left with doubts. But I said, dude, the way I was, if I was only 10% better I\u2019d beat this guy. And more than 10%? Damn, I\u2019ll embarrass him. And that\u2019s what I did.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t forget this rematch. You don\u2019t forget the way the first fight was in doubt,\u201d he added. \u201cThis one didn\u2019t leave anything in doubt. So damn, what\u2019s the point of a rematch?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI always talked about this fight at heavyweight,\u201d he said of the Jones fight. \u201cI wanted it, but then I said, \u2018No, I\u2019ll stay in my weight class.\u2019 But then I said, \u2018Damn, I\u2019m 38 years old, you know?\u2019 I\u2019m also thinking about my career, right? I think this is the fight that needs to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n When asked why he wanted to fight Jon Jones and not current UFC heavyweight champ Tom Aspinall, Pereira said it was a matter of star power.<\/p>\n \u201cI was thinking the same thing as Jon, you know?\u201d he said. \u201cWe have big names and hey, if I lose or he loses, nobody loses.\u201d<\/p>\n