Artem Vakhitov Calls for UFC Showdown With Alex Pereira to Settle Trilogy: 'Time for MMA Fans to Learn About Me'
“MMA was always interesting for me anyway, but obviously, I am very motivated by the prospect of getting that trilogy match with Pereira,” Vakhitov said. “He’s a superstar now, and I am happy for him, but when I hear people saying he’s the best striker in the world... well, I think it’s time for MMA fans to learn about me and my team, put it that way.”
Despite Pereira’s success, Vakhitov believes the UFC opponents lack confidence. “These other guys haven’t done well against Alex because their striking isn’t at a high enough level. They aren’t confident against him, and they think he’s unbeatable, so in their heart, they are already defeated before the fight starts,” he explained.
Check Out: Alex Pereira Edges Out Jon Jones in Pound for Pound Rankings After UFC 303 Mayhem
What's Alex Pereira's biggest weakness?
Vakhitov highlighted Pereira's weaknesses: “His biggest weakness is that he is all attack, he has no defense. Because of his lack of defense, he is open to taking a lot of punches to the head if he’s facing a skilled striker. You saw that in his second fight with Adesanya. He got caught because he leaves a lot of openings for people who know what they are doing.”
Now training at Kill Cliff FC in Florida, Vakhitov is focused on evolving as a mixed martial artist. He emphasized the importance of his team’s preparation: “It needed a striker as good as me but also a team as good as mine, people who can really analyze top-level strikers and find their weak points and the way to beat them. If I have any secret, it’s the team at Kuzbass Muay Thai under our head coach Vitaly Miller.”
Reflecting on their past encounters, Vakhitov said, “We are 1-1 against each other, so the next fight will be the trilogy fight, and I think that will be a big fight for fans all over the world.” He added, “We are both top-level strikers; we are throwing punches, knees, and kicks constantly. Watch our two fights in GLORY Kickboxing, and then imagine we are in the UFC octagon with small gloves on. And I’ll be very confident for that fight.”
Despite the rivalry, Vakhitov respects Pereira. “Alex and I know each other well,” he said. “His team and my team are in good relations, and we message each other sometimes, so I am always wishing victory for him when he fights."
What do you think? Can Vakhitov dethrone Pereira in the UFC octagon?
Also Read: Jiří Procházka Claims He Can Beat Alex Pereira In Potential Trilogy Fight; Names Jamahal Hill As Potential Future Opponent
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