Alex Pereira, who is recognized far more for his fighting skills than for his ability to trash speak, recently went on a rant against Anthony Smith, which was completely out of character for him. Poatan did not use a single obscene word despite viciously attacking Smith for continuously criticizing him. Smith was the target of Poatan’s ire.
According to Pereira, the only people who continue to talk about him are ‘washed-up vets’ like Smith, and not fighters who are doing well for themselves. Smith is one such example. The Brazilian thinks that ‘Lionheart’ Smith’s statements against him are the result of the pure irritation that Smith feels since his own career hasn’t really taken off.
“Poatan” went on to state his opinion that Smith got the one and only main event place on a pay-per-view telecast of his career because of Jon Jones. On YouTube, the man, who is 36 years old, stated:
“The only people who speak badly about me are people like Anthony Smith, jaded veterans who were never able to amount to anything,” he said. They are continuing the struggle. They are in a really difficult situation. Or the person who is still unknown to most people. However, people who are already successful don’t seem to be talking about me at all, as you may be aware. It’s only the people below me, do you know what I mean? Or those who attempted something but were ultimately unsuccessful, like Anthony Smith…Is it true that he is an agitated individual? I believe that he played a pivotal role, is that correct? Because of Jon Jones, he is even competing in the main event, which he wouldn’t even be in if it weren’t for Jon Jones.
See what Pereira has to say in the following:
Alex Pereira also made fun of Smith for not making weight in his role as a backup fighter for the UFC 283 championship battle between Jon Jones and Jamahal Hill. Smith was in the fight between Jon Jones and Jamahal Hill.
What did Anthony Smith say about Alex Pereira?
Alex Pereira has seen a spectacular ascent, which has resulted in his headlining two UFC pay-per-view events, winning and losing the middleweight championship, moving up to 205 pounds, and defeating former champion Jan Blachowicz. All of these accomplishments have occurred in a span of less than two years. In spite of the fact that Anthony Smith recognizes ‘Poatan’ as a talented striker, he is adamant that the Brazilian’s achievements at middleweight will not translate to the 205-pound weight class.
According to ‘Lionheart,’ Pereria had a significant size advantage when they fought at 185 pounds, but now that they are at light heavyweight, he is simply another rated contender. Smith stated the following in the lead-up to his recent victory over Ryan Spann at the UFC in Singapore:
“When he was a middleweight, he was a massive and terrifying monster. That version of him no longer exists. He seems to be a rather average guy…Because he is so technically adept and possesses such an amazing hitting game, it is inevitable that he will stand out in the future. However, in terms of merely his height and strength, he does not stand out among the other 205-pounders, and I do not believe that Alex Pereira is more powerful and explosive than someone like Aleksandar Rakic. He is not as strong as somebody like [Magomed] Ankalaev.
