Light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and one-time title challenger Anthony Smith buried the hatchet following a war of words through interviews and over social media.
The fighters met ahead of UFC 307 on Saturday where Pereira defends his title against Khalil Rountree in the main event. The segment featured a conversation between the light heavyweights at a local tattoo shop in Salt Lake City but the conversation started after Smith reached out to Pereira’s longtime coach Glover Teixeira.
“I am thankful to you for reaching out,” Pereira said to Smith. “Ever since you spoke to Glover, I don’t think there is any malice, there’s no bitterness about the back and forths that we had. Today, I’m much better. I feel really good.”
The volatility between the fighters grew out of Smith breaking down Pereira’s performances as part of his job as an analyst for the UFC and various podcasts where he appears. Smith previously told MMA Fighting that nothing he was saying was meant as “talking shit” but rather just his critical analysis of Pereira’s fighting style in the octagon.
In response, Pereira eventually challenged Smith to a grappling match and Smith responded by promising that he would “choke the shit out of him” if they actually locked horns.
While Smith maintained his opinion on Pereira’s fighting style, he stated rather vehemently that he wasn’t taking low blows or trying to stir up trouble when addressing the Brazilian’s skill set.
During the meeting ahead of UFC 307, Smith made sure that Pereira knew he had nothing but the utmost admiration for him as a fighter.
“Aside from the competitive rivalry or whatever it was before, I’ve got a lot of respect for you,” Smith said. “I’m a big fan of your game. I love watching you fight.”
Pereira said much the same and he downplayed the exchanges they shared, which got a lot of headlines but didn’t necessarily mean they were actually at each other’s throats.
“Some people can’t imagine it because sometimes we talk a little bit of trash on the internet or even because of a rivalry,” Pereira said. “Even with people that I’ve already fought, I always try to bring close to me because I’m a guy who’s evolving. I think these people can help me and I make the most of it.”
Pereira can now add Smith to his circle of trust after previously befriending past opponent Sean Strickland, who came to help him prepare for Rountree ahead of their showdown on Saturday.
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