UFC Welterweight Michel Pereira Calls Out Division’s Top Contenders: Chimaev, Covington
He has not fought since May.
Michel Pereira, a welterweight contender in the UFC, is impatient.
The Brazilian, who defeated Santiago Ponzinibbio back in May, is perplexed as to why the UFC is taking so long to find another opponent, but he does have a theory.
Pereira recently accused his fellow rated welterweights of deliberately dodging him in an interview with Ag Fight, blaming them for the lengthy break.
“I’m training, I’m ready,” Pereira explained.
“My managers are trying to get me a fight in Rio, but it’s been hard to find an opponent. Those are guys are way too picky. I’ve been waiting for the ranked guys in my division to man up and fight me. I’d fight (Li) Jingliang, the one Chimaev almost killed. This fight was offered to me and I took it, the it was offered to him and he turned it down. I don’t know what those guys are thinking, the reason why they won’t fight me,”
“I’d fight (Colby) Covington,” Pereira said.
“I’d really like to fight (Khamzat) Chimaev, because he talks too much. I’d fight Thompson. The only ones I wouldn’t fight are (Vicente) Luque and (Gilbert) Burns. The rest of them, I’m ready for them, they can all come at me. I ask, but they don’t accept it. They’re sissies. Whoever wants it, I’m here.”
Prior to his most recent victory against Ponzinibbio, Pereira (28-11-2 NC), who is now on a five-fight winning run, had defeated Zelim Imadaev, Khaos Williams, Niko Price and Andre Fialho.
The 29-year-most old’s recent loss came in a DQ match against Diego Sanchez in February 2020 as a result of an illegal knee.