New York: UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has officially returned to training for the first time since his victory at UFC 320, hinting at a historic ambition to become a three-division UFC champion.
Pereira reclaimed the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship on October 4, knocking out Magomed Ankalaev in the first round. The emphatic win allowed the Brazilian superstar to avenge his defeat at UFC 313, where Ankalaev briefly took the title from him.
Following his victory, Pereira spent several weeks celebrating, travelling, and recovering from a foot injury. However, the champion has now shared an update from his latest sparring session, confirming it was his first training day since UFC 320.
“Yesterday was a really good training day, where I could prove to myself what I can do and where I can go,” Pereira said.
He revealed that he had not trained since the fight due to injury concerns and had planned to spend Thanksgiving weekend with his children in Orlando. But plans shifted and he ended up completing two training sessions at the gym.
Pereira admitted he wasn’t fully prepared for the return:
“Maybe I didn’t have the same performance because these were the only two workouts after my last fight and I wasn’t physically prepared… I didn’t even bring a mouthguard. But thank God nothing happened.”
The champion also hinted at chasing an unprecedented goal in MMA — widely interpreted as an attempt to become a UFC triple champion, a feat no fighter has ever achieved.
“I’m coming back to do what nobody has done. CHAMA ,” Pereira added.
The statement has fueled speculation that Pereira may pursue titles in a third weight class, potentially setting up future super-fights in the heavyweight division.
