Once seen as the UFC’s ultimate company man, Alex Pereira may now be at odds with the promotion. Earlier this month, the former 205 lbs champion shared a cryptic message on his official X account that hinted at brewing tension behind the scenes. In the now-viral post, ‘Poatan’ wrote: “I’ve never spoken poorly of the UFC but with what I’ve just heard I’m disheartened.” The post immediately stirred concern among fans and media, with many interpreting it as a sign that Pereira was considering retirement.

However, shortly after the message gained traction, the Brazilian released a video, claiming he had no knowledge of the post and insisted his account had been hacked. Still, skepticism lingers. The explanation convinces not everyone, and speculation about the true nature of the situation continues to swirl. Among the voices weighing in is UFC star Henry Cejudo, who shared his take on the matter during an episode of his Pound 4 Pound podcast.

The Arizonian floated the theory that Dana White and the UFC may have approached Alex Pereira with a short-notice fight offer, not as a reward but out of necessity to bolster a card in need of star power. This, he believes, may have rubbed the Brazilian the wrong way. As ‘Triple C’ explained: “But the fight was offered, obviously. There was that big Twitter hack that kind of went on, and then there was a message from Alex Pereira where he had to give his two cents and pretty much apologize.”

Reflecting on his own turbulent history with the UFC, Henry Cejudo admitted he might have responded differently if put in the Brazilian’s shoes. Drawing from personal experience, he remarked: “You know, in relationships, when you know people for so long—you’re going to get in fights with these guys.” Despite his own ups and downs with the UFC, ‘Triple C’ made it clear that he still respects Dana White as the man steering the organization. He elaborated:

“You don’t think I respect Dana? But you don’t think I wanted to just say, you know, put the birdie up to him? It’s part of the game. It is part of the game, but at the end of the day, I do respect my boss, because it is his business and it is his organization. And it doesn’t always mean you have to be good guys with somebody.”

Henry Cejudo’s candid remarks seem to strike a chord, shedding light on the behind-the-scenes tension that may have influenced recent UFC negotiations. The fight he referred to is believed to be the much-anticipated UFC 317 rematch against Magomed Ankalaev, which the Russian himself confirmed earlier this week. During his tenure in the UFC, Alex Pereira built a fearsome reputation with a devastating left hook that routinely ended fights in dramatic fashion.

But everything changed at UFC 313, when the Russian powerhouse not only stripped ‘Poatan’ of his title but also exposed the flaws behind the fearsome reputation. The once-invincible “boogeyman” was suddenly human. Now, with their highly anticipated rematch postponed, the suspense is only growing. The MMA world is buzzing with speculation—let’s dive into what the experts are predicting for this potential clash.

‘Team Khabib’s manager gives honest take on Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev

Magomed Ankalaev had been making his presence felt in the light heavyweight division for quite some time. Despite consistently proving his worth inside the Octagon, the title shot he deserved didn’t come as quickly as it should have. His earlier opportunity for gold came in December 2022, when he faced Jan Blachowicz for the vacant title—a fight that ended in a controversial draw and left many questions unanswered.

Even after being passed over for the next title fight, Magomed Ankalaev didn’t lose focus. He stayed patient, kept winning, and built a case that couldn’t be ignored. That persistence finally paid off this past March when he got his shot at the reigning champion, Alex Pereira. And he made the most of it. Still, the loss didn’t sit well with the Brazilian, who immediately called for a rematch. Ankalaev agreed without hesitation, but as of now, the UFC has yet to announce the bout.

That hasn’t stopped the buzz. The MMA community is already deep in speculation mode, eager to see how the potential rematch could unfold. The conversation even reached Submission Radio, where the host asked Ali Abdelaziz—Ankalaev’s manager—about his thoughts on the matchup.

“How do you feel this rematch [is] going?” the host asked, pointing to Alex Pereira’s dominant reputation at 205 lbs. Abdelaziz didn’t hold back in his response: “It’s going to be a very bad—it’s going to be a very bad night for Alex [Pereira]… Everybody—everybody is scared of Alex. Ankalaev, he understands he can give and he can take. And when you, as a fighter, know that… Ankalaev can hit hard, and he has a way better chin than Alex.”

What do you make of Henry Cejudo’s take? Was Alex Pereira really “hacked“, or was he sending a not-so-subtle message to Dana White? Let us know what you think in the comments below.