Alex Pereira, the former UFC middleweight champion, struggled to train due to his alcohol addiction, according to his coach, Belocqua Wera. Wera claimed that Pereira’s addiction left him “rotten” and unable to reach the top of his sport. Pereira, who moved to MMA in 2015 after a successful career in kickboxing, defeated current champion Adesanya twice before their first UFC meeting. However, his drinking problem posed a significant challenge to his career progress. Wera recalled an incident in the ring where he thought Pereira was weak and wondered if he was wasting his time with him. But, he quickly realized that Pereira was a warrior who was contaminated by his addiction. Pereira has since moved up to the light-heavyweight division after losing to Adesanya last month and will face a legitimate contender at 205lb before challenging Jamahal Hill. UFC president Dana White has insisted that he needs a big win before being given a title shot.
