Alex Pereira fires back ruthlessly after being accused of ducking a fight

UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has once again made headlines — this time not for his destructive striking inside the Octagon, but for his fiery response to a fellow fighter’s accusation. The Brazilian star, who recently reclaimed his light heavyweight title, didn’t hold back when UFC welterweight Joaquin Buckley claimed that Pereira once turned down a fight against him.

Pereira reclaims his throne in style

Earlier this month, Pereira solidified his dominance in the UFC light heavyweight division by knocking out Magomed Ankalaev in their much-anticipated rematch at UFC 320. The victory marked another milestone in Pereira’s meteoric rise, reaffirming his reputation as one of the most dangerous strikers in the sport.

Fresh off his emphatic win, Alex Pereira surprised fans by calling for a move up to heavyweight to face Jon Jones in what he hopes will be a “super fight” at the rumored UFC White House event. His ambition to chase greatness across divisions once again had the MMA world buzzing — but not everyone was impressed.

Buckley revives old claims of a missed fight

Amid Pereira’s rise, UFC welterweight contender Joaquin “New Mansa” Buckley took to his YouTube channel earlier this week to allege that Pereira had once avoided fighting him. According to Buckley, the UFC had plans to match them up in 2022, during Pereira’s rapid climb through the middleweight division.

Buckley claimed he was ready to become the first fighter to knock out the Brazilian powerhouse. However, he alleged that Pereira “wouldn’t be ready in time,” implying that the now-champion had backed away from the potential clash.

Alex Pereira claps back with receipts

Unwilling to let the accusation slide, Alex Pereira fired back at Buckley online — and came armed with evidence. The reigning champion shared a private message from 2022 that directly contradicted Buckley’s version of events.

“Why did you send me this post? Of the 15 that ran you were the first! Now go back to the end of the line,” Pereira reportedly told Buckley.

The response quickly went viral among MMA fans, many of whom praised Pereira’s directness and mocked Buckley’s claims. The fiery exchange reignited discussions about both fighters’ trajectories, with many agreeing that the matchup — had it happened — would have been an explosive affair inside the cage.

While Buckley’s career has had its moments of brilliance, including an impressive six-fight win streak, he recently suffered a setback against former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman earlier this year.