Alex Pereira still has a chance to become the #1 MMA GOAT, despite losses

[AL-Tappo McSnappo]

Strict conditions:
- knock out Ulberg, to formally clean out the 205 division
- knock out Khamzat at 205 (Khamzat wants to move up and superfight Alex)
- somehow moves down to 185 again (LOL) and knocks out Khamzat again
- moves up to HW and knocks out Tom, becoming the first and only 3 weight division ufc champ ever
- knocks out Jones, defeating the greatest mma fighter ever


After this, there would be no challenge left for him.
Unless Ngannou is still around, but Ngannou is basically retired in MMA.

--------------------------------


If these insanely difficult conditions are met, then he would be the best fighter ever, no questions asked.

- better than Fedor (Fedor had 2000s dominance but his average opponent was weaker than Jones/Tom/Khamzat)
- better than Jones (KO him)
- better than GSP (3 division > 2 division. GSP avenged both Matt Hamill and Matt Serra losses, but Alex also avenged Izzy and Magomed losses)
- better than Anderson Silva (Silva could still have better striking than Alex, but would not be a better overall mma fighter if Alex fulfills those conditions)
- better than Demetrious (lost to Cejudo.. but in all seriousness, Demetrious tried to win the belt at 135 but never succeeded)
- better than Khabib (29-0 is hard, but it's easier to stay undefeated if you don't take risks and become 3 division champ. imagine if khabib fought at 145 and 170, he would definitely get losses)

Sounds great.

 

[drphil]

There is no feasible way for him to be the GOAT.
However if he becomes a 3 weight champ that would constitute one of the greatest accomplishments in mma history if not the.

Also getting wins over Jones and aspinall would be insane, i don't believe he has the time to do it tho.

I doubt he'll bother fighting khamzat.

 

[rakeleaves]

Just stop with this fanboy crap. He's not touching DJ, Silva, Fedor, GSP, Aldo with those 2 glaring losses already.

 

[fries in the bag]

Uh Jon Jones?

there's a difference between jones (national junior college level wrestling good enough for mma),
and dagestanis at world/olympic champion level like sadulaev, saitiev

khamzat's wrestling is way better than jones

long limbs are not an advantage at elite level wrestling,
so pereira it's not physically possible to win over people like khamzat in wrestling

 

[fries in the bag]

Just stop with this fanboy crap. He's not touching DJ, Silva, Fedor, GSP, Aldo with those 2 glaring losses already.

DJ = lost to cejudo, failed to become 2 weight division champ
Silva = losing streak, no 2 divison. also lost to jake paul
Fedor = cans in japan, lost to ufc fighters
GSP = perhaps the GOAT. but 3 division belt is better than 2 division, and don't forget GSP also lost twice like Pereira so you're a hypocrit
Aldo = one shotted by mcgregor in 13 seconds

 

[ComfortablyNumb55]

Oh gosh

 

[Trabaho]

Going to 185 and beating Tom are the leaat realistic things. Followed by beating Jon which he could.

 

[fries in the bag]

Going to 185 and beating Tom are the leaat realistic things. Followed by beating Jon which he could.

if he somehow magically knocked out khamzat, tom, and jones, would you consider him the best fighter ever?

 

[Trabaho]

if he somehow magically knocked out khamzat, tom, and jones, would you consider him the best fighter ever?

I don't play games. If I magically won the lottery what should I buy. Not entertaining it.

 

[Fedorgasm]

I think he'd have a strong case for being the goat if he moves up to HW and knocks out Jones at the White House, then fights Tom for the HW strap and knocks him out too.

Then you'll be left with a dude who didn't necessarily have a long unbeaten streak like Jones or Fedor, but he captured 3 titles in 3 different weight classes and knocked out the guy that many think it's the goat in Jon Jones, who is the same age, btw, and hasn't taken half the damage that Alex has.

So yeah, he's 2 fights away from being in the discussion.

If you wanted the cherry on top, he could also beat Ulberg, Khamzat, or Ank again to further strengthen his case.

Khamzat is a no win scenario though. If Alex beats him, who cares? He beat up on a middleweight. He won't get much credit for that win. But if he didn't fight him, people will say he ducked.

 

[Fedorgasm]

You forgot about Welterweight and Lightweight. I think if he truly wants to be the goat he should clean out those aswell. Gonna be difficult with the weight but a true GOAT would find a way.

He should just run into the cage during a LW title fight and KO both manlets, grab the belt, and run away while yelling "CHAMAAAA!"

 

[Neck&Neck]

Once you lose, you were never good

GOAT DENIED

 

[Pequeño Corey]

Khamzat is a no win scenario though. If Alex beats him, who cares? He beat up on a middleweight. He won't get much credit for that win. But if he didn't fight him, people will say he ducked.

Only a legitimate retard would think Alex is ducking the rat lip MW with no title defenses who might make the walk once in 2026 if we’re lucky.

 

[Preston broadus]

Hes already amongst the goats. If he wins the hw title:

1. Poatan
2. Fedor
3. Gsp

 

[jeff7b9]

1st off... Alex is never going to make 185 again.
So forget that.


2nd ... if we want to play this game, let's try for a mildly even close to plausible scenario.

Defend vs Ulberg seems like a nice touch but in the grand scheme of things not really necessary, as it stands Alex has beaten #s 1 2 4 5 6 of the division, with 6 wins and 5 KOs.
That's plenty cleaned out enough.

Reality based version:

Alex recovers from broken bone in foot and sits out until UFC @ White House. At roughly 9 months this is the standard gap between fights for modern era UFC champ.

Alex fights Jon Jones at UFC White House.

If he somehow manages to win that is a win head to head over the guy who has the current claim to best achievements in the sport by a pretty wide margin. (16/17 title fight wins and 2 div champ)

I don't think a belt is needed, but if you do, the way that happens is that the winner of Tom vs Ciryl Gane gets injured and UFC throws an interim strap at the white house HW fight because why the fuck not

Or....

If Ciryl Gane wins and Jon Jones does Jon Jones stuff and thus can not face Alex at UFC White House, Alex faces Ciryl Gane and beats him, which would get him the triple champ status that would justify pushing him over guys with more numerical stat type achievements


All of the above is highly unlikely but that is what I see as the only even slightly possible "every situation breaks the right way" type of scenario which could yield an honest argument for Alex as "GOAT"

AND - Topuria/Islam/Khamzat would have to all retire without surpassing Alex's achievements, because theoretically Ilia could manage to get triple champ status if HE had an "every scenario breaks the right way" type of fortune, and in doing so he would have a damn impressive collection of scalps.


Currently Alex has:
6 title fight wins and
6 wins over (5 different) UFC champs
3x champ
2 division champ


That's not quite enough for GOAT but he is beginning to make a case for a "Mount Rushmore" slot. 1-2 more big wins, particularly if he could get a high profile win at HW would go a long way to solidifying his case

 

[Kung Fu Kowboy]

I think he'll finish his career Top 5-10...

 

[m249viking]

He should fight Tom blindfolded

 

[jeff7b9]

He should fight Tom blindfolded

 

[Natural Order]

Let's just enjoy his run as a scary Aztec warrior. Who needs another GOAT discussion? Watching the sport is way more fun without it.

This.

The GOAT hyperbole and theatre that has taken over the discussion over the last 5 years is fucking pathetic.

 

[Alpha_T83]

Just stop with this fanboy crap. He's not touching DJ, Silva, Fedor, GSP, Aldo with those 2 glaring losses already.

IDK dude, let's say he beats Jon Jones in a superfight at heavyweight, then beats Tom Aspinall to become the HW champ and first ever UFC fighter to win belts in 3 division?

That's the MMA GOAT to me.

Now, do I think that will happen? Absolutely not. I think Jones subs Pereira and Aspinall KO's him. But if he pulled it off, that would cement him as the GOAT without question.