Alex Pereira, the former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion, recently alarmed fans with a cryptic retirement tease on social media. The post hinted at frustration with the UFC, but not long after, “Poatan” calmed the storm, saying the post came from a hacker and that his relationship with the promotion remains strong.
UFC Legend Comments on Alex Pereira’s Social Media Hack
UFC Hall of Famer Daniel Cormier isn’t buying it. On a recent episode of “Good Guy/Bad Guy” with Chael Sonnen on ESPN MMA, the former two-division champ shared his theory on what really happened.
“Pereira is a liar. Pereira did not get hacked yesterday. Pereira might have tweeted something, and then somebody called him and was like, ‘Yo, calm down. Let’s chill,'” Cormier claimed.
Cormier said the timing and wording of the post felt too specific to be the work of a hacker. He then laid out a theory that connects recent moves within the UFC, suggesting Pereira may have gotten upset after being informed he wasn’t part of the UFC’s International Fight Week plans.
Cormier pointed out that UFC executive Hunter Campbell recently visited Dagestan to meet Islam Makhachev and his team. Makhachev’s manager, Rizvan Magomedov, also manages Magomed Ankalaev, who just beat Pereira at UFC 313 and could be next in line for a headlining slot.
“This is my, this is just me, dude, like, this is me hoop dreaming, while he’s [Campbell] in Dagestan, right? He’s speaking to Islam about the fight. Remember, Chael, we still ain’t got a main event for International Fight Week, that’s a short period away. He goes, ‘What about you, Ank [Ankalaev]? Are you available?'” Cormier posited.
The 46-year-old believes Ankalaev would’ve likely accepted the fight, but Pereira might’ve asked for more time. In this scenario, Cormier speculates that Campbell might’ve told “Poatan” that they are going in another direction, which the UFC Hall of Famer believes hurt Pereira, making him vent his frustration on X.
Initially, Sonnen didn’t think like Cormier, but after his fellow Hall of Famer’s intriguing theory, he admitted that it was possible.
Pereira’s Viral Social Media Post
Pereira’s post, which quickly went viral before being deleted, came just weeks after he lost his light heavyweight title to Ankalaev at UFC 313. UFC president Dana White said a rematch was likely, and Ankalaev appeared interested, too.
“I always answered the UFC’s calls, but if they want to play with me, we can do that. I’ve never spoken poorly of the UFC but with what I’ve just heard I’m disheartened. I’ve already had thoughts of not fighting anymore, and after what was just relayed to me this may be the start,” the deleted post said before it was taken down
Pereira later claimed it was the result of a hack, but fans and insiders remain skeptical. Adding to the drama, Ankalaev joked on social media that he was the one who posted it. The two fighters have been going back and forth online since UFC 311, and many believe Ankalaev’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, may be stirring the pot behind the scenes.