“Don’t worry, Daniel Cormier. We’re over here working.” Alex Pereira quipped on his Instagram story this past Saturday. For those keeping tabs, Pereira’s recent globe-trotting has been nothing short of extraordinary. Cornering Sean Strickland in Australia, and attending various events, the 205lbs god-king certainly sparked chatter. Is the champ too busy for his own good? With just weeks left before UFC 313, questions about his preparation for Magomed Ankalaev have been flying. But is there really cause for concern, or is Pereira simply built different?Welcome, Dominick Reyes, the man who once took Jon Jones to the brink, to the conversation. If anyone understands what it takes to dismantle an MMA legend, it’s the former 205lbs title challenger. In a candid interview, he offered a chilling assessment of Pereira’s skillset. “Facing Pereira is like fighting a poisonous snake,” Reyes remarked on Gypsy Tales podcast. “One wrong move, and you’re done.” High praise from a man who pushed Jones to what many still consider a controversial decision win.Reyes elaborated, “It’s crazy how he sees the game. Because it’s so slow and simple for him. He slows it all down. Like it’s all just, I only have to do this, I don’t have to do all that and when I do this, I’m going to vary just enough for you to not get a beat on it. It’s very nuanced and extremely high-level. So simple, but so complex.”The former title challenger further quipped, “And on the outside, it seems like oh yeah, it should be easy, he doesn’t move blah blah blah but it’s tough, it’s tough, it’s tough to fight Alex. It’s like fighting a poisonous snake. If he touches you that’s it. We sparred many times, we are both similar, we are not ego driven.”This insight adds weight to the anticipation surrounding the March 8 showdown in Las Vegas. Analysts like Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen have voiced concerns about Pereira’s preparation, given his hectic schedule. But if Reyes’ assessment holds true, Ankalaev will need more than just readiness, he’ll need a flawless game plan.No lies told! Pereira doesn’t merely compete in the Octagon—he conducts symphonies of destruction where opponents become unwitting instruments in his violent orchestra. The Brazilian’s constant forward pressure is combined with the certainty of death itself, his eyes revealing nothing while his leg kicks calculate trajectories to undertake and destroy shins. His left hook—a compact nuclear option delivered from imperceptible angles—has claimed souls across two weight classes with clinical indifference.Israel Adesanya, perhaps MMA’s most elusive target, found himself crumpled twice across two combat sports, the second awakening occurring under Octagon lights while championship gold slipped from his grasp at UFC 281. Jamahal Hill, riding the confidence of championship status at UFC 300, ventured forward only to intercept a countershot that traveled mere inches but contained enough force to separate mind from awareness Jiri Prochazka, the samurai spirit embodied, twice attempted to solve the Pereira equation—twice his consciousness was subtracted from the fight. Just watch their wild affair at UFC 303 and shiver for good measure. (Stop the fight, Herb Dean!)Moreover, the man Pereira cornered in Australia once laid almost lifeless at the Brazilian’s feet. Sean Strickland’s middleweight nightmare arrived via the same delivery system—a short left hook and it was over! One thing in common you ask? Surgical precision and a killer’s instinct!April 8, 2023, Miami, FL, Miami, Florida, United States: MIAMI, FLORIDA – APRIL 8: L-R Alex Pereira battles Israel Adesanya in their middleweight fight during the UFC 287 event at Kaseya Center on April 8, 2023, in Miami, FL, United States. Miami, FL United States – ZUMAp175 20230408_zsa_p175_166 Copyright: xAlejandroxSalazarxAnd now the latest badge of legitimacy comes from ‘The Devastator’ who is no stranger to high-stakes fights. Back in 2020, he faced Jon Jones at UFC 247, delivering a performance that had many, including UFC boss Dana White, questioning the judge’s decision. White stated, “I had Dominick Reyes 3-1 going into the last round.” For the unversed, ‘Bones’ took a three-year hiatus fresh on the heels of this 205-pound title defense opposite Reyes. And even Jones himself revealed that there was a moment when he nearly threw in the towel! Talk about history.“I got in the fight with him and he was giving me a true f—king run for my money,” Jones said. “He was the only other person to do it to me outside of [Alexander] Gustafsson. I remember thinking to myself, ‘F—k. You may have met your match, Jon.’ That’s what like a voice said to me right in the middle of the cage. It was like, ‘You may have met your match.’ As clear as day, I saw a door in the Octagon and it was just like, ‘Hey. You’ve had a great career. You’ve done a lot of great things. This kid, he wants it, he’s hungry for it, Jon. It’s okay if you come up short in this one. Just don’t let him knock you out but you can just kind of skate through this one and let the kid have it, Jon.'”It remains one of the closest fights of Jones’ career, his last title defense before moving up to heavyweight. Many believed Reyes had done enough to dethrone him, yet Jones walked away with the unanimous decision. If Reyes sees something in Pereira that reminds him of his own battle, it’s worth paying attention to. Isn’t it? But what is it about Pereira that evokes such vivid metaphors?What is this magic Alex Pereira keeps up his sleeve?Some attribute it to his striking prowess; others point to an almost mystical presence. Remember when Jiri Prochazka suggested Pereira employed “black magic” in their bout? On The Joe Rogan Experience, Prochazka confessed, “I was focused on him, not on me.” Rogan mused, “Is it magic? Or just his presence as a champion?”‘Poatan’, for his part, has laughed off such claims. In an interview with Ariel Helwani, he stated, “I’m a god-fearing man… I’ve never participated in any of those things. If he really believed that, take a doll, tie my hands and feet, and then fight me, like that’s going to work?” He attributes his success to hard work and his connection to his indigenous roots, not any supernatural shenanigans.LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – JUNE 29: Alex Pereira of Brazil reacts to his victory in the UFC light heavyweight championship fight against Jiri Prochazka of the Czech Republic during the UFC 303 event at T-Mobile Arena on June 29, 2024, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)“With all respect to him, and honestly speaking, if we went and fought again a third time and if he put all this [magic claims] aside and just fought, I think we would be able to give a much better fight…I don’t want to fight guys who are cheating, no, I want to fight them at their best…at their prime. A guy that’s ready, gets the fire in him and thinks ‘I want to beat this guy’. And if they’re at their best, there’s no reason to talk about this kind of stuff.” The 205lbs quipped.This blend of formidable skill and an almost mythical reputation makes Pereira a compelling figure in the MMA world. As Dominick Reyes aptly put it, facing him is akin to battling a “poisonous snake.” It’s not just about physical readiness; it’s about mental fortitude. As the fight with Ankalaev approaches, one can’t help but wonder: will Ankalaev find the antidote, or will he succumb to the venom that is Alex Pereira?So, what do you think? Is Pereira’s aura a psychological weapon, or just hype? And can Ankalaev rise to the occasion at UFC 313? Share your thoughts in the comments below!The post “It’s Like Fighting a Poisonous Snake” – Alex Pereira Gets Unexpected Praise From Only Fighter to Threaten Jon Jones’ Dominant UFC Reign appeared first on EssentiallySports.