Alex Pereira not planning to change divisions yet, focused on extending UFC title reign instead

Alex Pereira is not going anywhere — at least for the time being.

The UFC light heavyweight champion defends his throne Saturday, facing Khalil Rountree in the main event of UFC 307 in Salt Lake City but he hit the pause button on talks of potential moves to middleweight or heavyweight next.

Asked at his UFC 307 media day appearance on Wednesday if he would rather gain more weight and challenge a heavyweight next or cut back down to 185 pounds and try and regain his title from Dricus du Plessis, “Poatan” said he would stay right where he is.

“I would choose to defend my belt,” Pereira said. “Because it takes a planned work to cut down in weight, and it takes planned work to move up as well, but it’s perfect for this division.”

Pereira left the middleweight division after losing a rematch to Israel Adesanya in April of 2023 and ended the year as 205-pound champion with a knockout win over Jiri Prochazka.

The Brazilian already defended his UFC title twice in 2024, stopping Jamahal Hill and Prochazka by knockout, and recently said he would be interested in returning to middleweight to compete against du Plessis after facing Rountree.

The UFC has yet to say who’s next in line at either division, but Magomed Ankalaev is expected to earn a shot at Pereira if he beats Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308 later this month. Sean Strickland, who was part of Pereira’s camp for UFC 307, is hoping to face du Plessis next for middleweight gold.

Pereira met UFC heavyweight champion Jon Jones at The Sphere in Las Vegas, during UFC 306. Despite an online campaign for “Poatan” to go to heavyweight and possibly face Jones for a third belt, he’s more interested in training with the UFC legend.

“He’s made it pretty clear that he’s only doing one more fight and retiring,” Pereira said. “And I’m not even part of this division, so I would be far from doing that fight. And I have an open mind, so training and learning from him is something I would absolutely do.”