In the world of MMA, knockout power often steals the spotlight—but true greatness lies in the details: timing, movement, and fight IQ. Glover Teixeira, the former UFC champion recently talked about two fighters who have really impressed him: Alex Pereira and Ilia Topuria. He gave credit to Topuria for his fast combos and exciting style. But it was Pereira who really stood out to Glover.
In a recent episode of The Coach and The Casual, Glover Teixeira discussed Alex Pereira’s superior boxing ability. He said Pereira’s power is special and compared him to other strong punchers like Ilia Topuria, who throws fast and sharp combos.
But what really impressed Teixeira was the way Pereira moved. He said Pereira doesn’t just rely on power—he’s smart, too. His movement and timing remind Teixeira of Floyd Mayweather. Sometimes, Pereira doesn’t even need to dodge because he knows a punch won’t land.
He said, “Those guys, they great punchers, you know, like Topuria, he has incredible combination… I feel like he’s a great boxer, don’t get me wrong. [But] you can see Alex, the movement that he makes is almost like Mayweather… You see, sometimes Mayweather, like if you jab him, he [doesn’t] even move because he knows that jab is not going to hit him. The range is perfect…I just feel like Alex’s IQ for visual strategy is better.”
That kind of confidence and control shows how well he understands distance and timing. According to Teixeira, Pereira’s ability to see what’s coming and react the right way makes his boxing smarter than most.
Henry Cejudo Offers Advice To Alex Pereira
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral MMA stories via Google! Follow Us
On The Bohnfire podcast, Cejudo suggested that Poatan would have done better by taking a break before jumping into his next fight. He believes constant travel wears fighters down, a point that his recent loss to Magomed Ankalaev clearly proved. Cejudo also thinks fighters like Alex Pereira need to pace themselves, as non-stop fighting and travel can sap their energy and impact their performance.
He stresses that everyday habits—like eating right, getting enough sleep, and following a steady routine—are what keep fighters strong over time. It will be interesting to see if Alex Pereira takes this advice to heart, using these simple yet powerful habits to boost his performance and longevity in the sport.
Also Read: UFC Veteran Suggests Alex Pereira Emulates Vince McMahon Energy Following Title Loss
