Alex Pereira has been in that unique spot where every move he makes feels like much more than just another callout. With all the discussion about a potential heavyweight jump and the now-famous “White House fight card” rumors circulating around next year, it almost feels like he’s juggling two storylines at once: one with Jon Jones and one with Khamzat Chimaev. And somehow, both are contributing to the same momentum.

Fans are well aware that ‘Poatan’ is not afraid to take on a challenge, but his response to Chimaev this week felt more calculated than emotional. There is a definite expectation of how someone like Pereira should react when the middleweight division’s most vocal hunter yells his name. But rather than fighting fire with fire, he chose something completely different, something that seemed less aggressive but has been called the perfect move by none other than Chael Sonnen.

Chael Sonnen calls Alex Pereira’s grappling challenge a “perfect” counter

Chael Sonnen took one glance at Alex Pereira’s grappling offer and immediately realized what had happened beneath the surface. The Brazilian had handled it as a strategy rather than an actual attempt to set up a grappling contest. “Now, the only way that settles anything is if Pereira was to win,” Chael claimed. “But that’s only because we all expect that Chimaev would win.”

In his opinion, the back-and-forth is not about who is better on the mats, but about perception, leverage, and who controls the narrative in fans’ minds. What ‘The American Gangster’ appreciated the most was Pereira’s refusal to back down. He said it clearly: “I need this as a Pereira fan. I need him not to back down.”

Coming from someone who has openly expressed disappointment when major personalities withdraw from difficult situations, as he specifically referenced Jon Jones, this felt personal. “I just went through this with Jon. When Jon Jones backs down, as a fan, it’s a tremendous letdown. So, I needed Pereira to respond to this,” he said.

On his YouTube channel, ‘The American Gangster’ wasn’t praising the grappling bout as a realistic option; he was complimenting Alex Pereira for refusing to allow Khamzat Chimaev to grab the spotlight. And then he revealed the true trap. “Chimaev didn’t think he was going to get the fight. He was trying to get the headlines, and he got them. But now he’s been countered,” Sonnen explained.

‘Poatan’ had just proposed a match that isn’t going to happen, and that is the genius of it. If ‘Borz’ accepts, he will accept something outside of the UFC. If he ignores it, he appears to be backing down. As Chael Sonnen stated, “The next play is Chimaev.” In a short post, “Let’s fight in grappling… 100% to charity. That work for you? Chama.” — Pereira elevated a simple callout into a position of some real control. So, what is Khamzat Chimaev‘s response?

Khamzat Chimaev‘s 11-word response to Alex Pereira’s challenge

And just when it seemed like Alex Pereira had cornered him, Khamzat Chimaev did not stall or avoid the setup. He jumped on it right away, treating the grappling offer as an invitation he was eager to accept. It wasn’t a detailed statement or a defensive explanation, just a swift hit that showed he wasn’t concerned by the terms the Brazilian laid out.

Khamzat Chimaev didn’t just accept the idea; he escalated it. His 11-word response, “Let’s go, I can submit you both same night… Easy money,” doubled down on Alex Pereira’s humorous challenge. Instead of discussing whether the bout was real or not, he aimed at ‘Poatan,’ proving that he was not afraid of anything, even if the entire thing sits outside normal UFC stakes.

And while the exchange did not bring the bout any closer to happening, it did keep the suspense high. Alex Pereira devised a trap, and Chimaev responded with bravado rather than hesitation. And in this bizarre back-and-forth in which neither guy steps onto the mats, that was enough to keep their rivalry alive and the focus exactly where both of them wanted it. But what do you think? Will Alex Pereira skip Jon Jones despite all his recent callouts to get a fight with Khamzat Chimaev? Let us know in the comments.