ESPN MMA and UFC shared an interesting post on Instagram. It featured a clip that had Alex Pereira breaking a record. Well, it’s non-official, as the post reads. Ahead of his title defense against Jamahal Hill in UFC 300, he seemingly shattered Francis Ngannou’s record as the hardest puncher. In 2018, the former heavyweight king smashed the punch machine at 129,161 units, about 3.5 times a Conor McGregor jab.

But it appears not many fans were too pleased to see the old video. Early in March, Alex Pereira suffered his third career loss (2nd in UFC) when Magomed Ankalaev outpointed him in Las Vegas. The two are now locked in for a second round at the same venue. So as far as diehards are concerned, they would rather wish Pereira defeat Ankalaev than celebrate a record, which basically doesn’t mean much inside a cage.

Alex Pereira powers into the unknown

Urging fans not to miss the October 5 meetup at the T-Mobile Arena, ESPN MMA and UFC’s message read, “When Alex Pereira broke the non-official record for the hardest punch recorded at the UFC PI 💥 (via @lilmonsterdemo).” Standing beside a PowerKube machine, Alex Pereira threw a powerful right hook. A screen nearby captured the hit correctly—191,796 units. Pereira was surrounded by his associates. It was clearly a lighthearted atmosphere wherein, during a training session, friends often challenge each other.

Still, Alex Pereira’s power is hard to ignore. He built his skills in Glory Kickboxing, where he was a two-division champ. His MMA style still looks a lot like high-level kickboxing. The Brazilian fighter doesn’t throw tons of strikes. But the ones he does throw are aimed to hurt or finish. Especially his punches.

And as most fans know, his left hook remains a signature weapon. However, the response to the clip remained lukewarm.

But we’re not convinced!

This fan minced no words. “I wanted one of these on Ankalaev’s nose 👊💪,” they said. Many anticipate Pereira reclaiming his light heavyweight championship with elan. Hence, some wish the rematch doesn’t repeat the dullness of their first fight.

Still, a few found it hard to accept the claim. One said, “Pereira does hit hard, but there’s no way he hits harder than Ngannou.” Putting aside the punch machine record, with 13 of his wins secured via KOs, Francis Ngannou registers a knockout-to-win rate of 70%. However, with 10 of his 12 wins ending early, Pereira boasts a staggering 83% KO rate. Let’s not forget his kickboxing record either – 33wins with 21 knockouts.

Still, Alex Pereira’s feat failed to impress a few. “And he will still lose to big Ank 😍🔥,” said this user. While that’s possible, considering that his reputation as one of UFC’s biggest will be at stake, there’s a good chance Pereira will put in his all to win the fight.

Another jibe followed: “His daddy Ank will reach at least 200,000 😂😂.” Again, it’s equally possible. Ankalaev is from Dagestan, known for its formidable wrestlers. Still, he is highly regarded as a counter-striker. His 20 wins are split equally between 10 knockouts and 10 decisions. So ruling him out as a weak puncher might prove delusional.

One follower had a fresh challenge for Alex Pereira. “Hit Ankalaev with it once… Not another snooze fest like the last time.” If he could strike the punch machine with such brute force, then what stops him from using it against an opponent in the cage?

Fans should, however, realize. As Bruce Lee had famously quipped, ‘Boards don’t hit back.’

It’s one thing to hit a bag or a machine. But in the end, they don’t respond. A well-trained rival, on the other hand, will strike back ruthlessly. On October 5, Magomed Ankalaev will step into the cage to retain his belt. There’s no way he will hand it over to Alex Pereira on a platter.

Do you think Pereira will set the record straight against Ankalaev?