Alex Pereira has broken his silence after a heated UFC White House pre-event press conference, where Josh Hokit directed insults his way before their separate fights on June 14.
Pereira is set for his first heavyweight bout, facing Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in the co-main event of UFC White House on the South Lawn, while Hokit meets Derrick Lewis on the same card.
During the press conference, lightweight champion and event headliner Ilia Topuria stepped in to defend Pereira, a gesture that clearly left an impression on the Brazilian star. “Much more surprised with Topuria to stand up, defend me, staying by my side, because I think he felt bad that I don’t speak English, and many things were being saying there were kind of like the translation was not sharp because it’s when it’s too simultaneous like that, it’s not too good,” Pereira said. “So I think that I’m definitely impressed by him, by Ilia Topuria.”
Pereira described his own demeanor on stage as calm despite the verbal chaos. “Well, honestly, I was just chill over there,” he said, adding, “I was not able to see too much stuff. Everything happened too fast. I just saw later.” He also noted, “I never saw [anything like] this.”
UFC White House will also feature Hokit entering with momentum after a win over Curtis Blaydes at UFC 327 in April, part of a 3-0 UFC start with three bonuses, while the Pereira vs. Gane winner is expected to move on to a heavyweight title unification bout with Tom Aspinall when he returns from eye damage suffered against Gane at UFC 321.
