Ever since Dana declared that a win at UFC Freedom 250 would make Alex Pereira the GOAT, a debate has been building. Daniel Cormier, for one, is not ready to elevate Alex to GOAT status yet.
Dana White has his new (potential) GOAT
Dana White boss argued that if “Poatan” captures heavyweight gold at the White House event, his résumé would become impossible to ignore.
Pereira only arrived in the promotion in 2021, yet he has already conquered two divisions after spending much of his career cutting to 185 pounds.
For White, adding a third UFC title would elevate Pereira beyond every fighter who came before him, declaring that a heavyweight championship would make him “everybody’s GOAT,” not just his own.
Cormier not sold on GOAT label yet
Alex Pereira enters his interim heavyweight title fight against Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250 with a chance to become a three-division champion. Talk of him surpassing Jon Jones in the all-time rankings has already surfaced.
Cormier pushed back on that idea during media day.
“Alex just asked me that directly, and he’s big now, so it’s like, that’s a hard question to answer in front of him when he’s that big.”
“And I actually told him no. I told him that I don’t think he would be the greatest just yet.”
Heavyweight proof still needed
Cormier pointed to what still separates Pereira from the sport’s all-time greats, especially at heavyweight.
“He would need to defend the championship at heavyweight.”
He also noted Pereira’s success at light heavyweight but said more work is required before GOAT conversations become valid.
“But I do believe being a three-division champion is one of the greatest accomplishments ever, but to put him over Georges St-Pierre or Khabib Nurmagomedov? I don’t think quite yet.”
Analysis: Who might be right?
Dana White may have a point. Alex is definitely A GOAT. From a promoter’s perspective, it makes sense. After all, having a GOAT fight at one of your main events will probably sell more tickets.
Still, we can easily ask: WIll Alex be THE GOAT? Or is this a sneer at consensus GOAT Jon Jones, with whom Dana has had a contentious relationship as of late? Bias everywhere!
On the other hand, Cormier might have his own bias. After all, Cormier did win and defend his belt at heavyweight. He knocked out Stipe Miocic in the first round at UFC 226 to win the belt, and then successfully defended the heavyweight belt against Derrick Lewis at UFC 230.
So I think we can take this whole GOAT debate with a grain of salt.