{
  "id": 12981837,
  "title": "Famed coach worries about Alex Pereira handling heavyweight power",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/08/famed-coach-worries-about-alex-pereira-handling-heavyweight-power",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-08T23:40:21.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/famed-coach-worries-alex-pereira-234021856.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ray Longo, a respected coach, expresses doubts about Alex Pereira's ability to handle heavyweight opponents. Pereira, currently with a record of 13-4 in MMA and 10-3 in UFC, faces Sergei Pavlovich in a five-round bout at UFC 335 on December 12 in Las Vegas (Paramount+). Longo believes Pereira needs to address his illegal shots, which he found unacceptable, but overall, he admires Pereira's fighting spirit. However, Longo has concerns about Pereira's ability to withstand the power of bigger opponents, particularly at the heavyweight division (250 lbs). He compares Pereira to Bobby Green, noting his lack of proper hand protection and propensity to get hit. Longo also points to Ciryl Gane's recent performance, suggesting that Pereira might face a similar fate if he fails to manage the bigger fighters' power effectively. Despite Pereira's determination to win his third UFC belt, Longo remains cautious about his ability to handle the heavyweight division.",
  "summary": "Did the Ciryl Gane fight expose Alex Pereira's inability to take punches from heavyweight?",
  "key_points": [
    "Famed coach Ray Longo doubts Alex Pereira's ability to handle heavyweight opponents.",
    "Pereira faces Sergei Pavlovich in UFC 335 on December 12 in Las Vegas.",
    "Longo compares Pereira to Bobby Green, expressing concerns about handling bigger fighters' power."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}