Khamzat Chimaev’s coach, Alan ‘Finfou’ Nascimento, recently suggested that Alex Pereira, the UFC light heavyweight champion, should set his sights on a third title in the heavyweight division instead of engaging in a fight with Chimaev. Nascimento’s comments come in light of Pereira’s impressive knockout victory over Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 on October 4, 2025, where he reclaimed the light heavyweight title and avenged a previous loss to Ankalaev at UFC 313.
After his triumphant win, Pereira immediately called out Jon Jones, indicating his desire to move up to heavyweight. This move appears motivated by a perceived lack of substantial challengers in the 205-pound class, as Pereira has already faced many of the top fighters in that division.
Chimaev, the current middleweight champion, has expressed a strong interest in fighting Pereira at light heavyweight. However, Nascimento cautioned Pereira against this matchup, highlighting the grappling prowess of Chimaev, which he described as potentially overwhelming given Pereira’s weaknesses in that area. Nascimento believes that while a fight between the two would generate considerable attention and be beneficial for Chimaev, pursuing the heavyweight title would offer Pereira a unique opportunity.
“If I were Pereira, I would next accept that fight because let’s be honest, Khamzat would be the biggest challenge,” Nascimento stated. He emphasized that with two titles already under his belt, Pereira has a chance to achieve something unprecedented in UFC history by competing for a third title.
With both fighters showing intention and ambition, the potential for an exciting shift in the UFC landscape looms, particularly with Pereira considering a bold move up in weight to chase a historic achievement.