Alex Pereira reveals hand issue stemming from win over Khalil Rountree at UFC 307

Alex Pereira is not 100 percent healthy at the moment.

Pereira was the UFC’s Iron Man in 2024. He would step up on late notice to save cards and was easily the promotion’s most reliable star this year. With that said, “Poatan” is human.

The UFC light heavyweight champion recently admitted that he’s injured.

RELATED: REPORT | ALEX PEREIRA VS. MAGOMED ANKALAEV NOT AN OPTION FOR UFC 310

Alex Pereira Dealing With Hand Injury

Appearing on Podpah, Alex Pereira said that his hand is hurt stemming from a successful title defense against Khalil Rountree at UFC 307 back in October (via MMAFighting).

“That fourth round, I was throwing jabs and hurting my hand,” Pereira said. “I swear. I was thinking, ‘My hand must be broken.’ It still hurts. Not all the time, no, but if I squeeze here, it hurts.”

Pereira said that it was punches landed on Rountree that caused the damage to his hand.

“I saw that the jabs were working and thought, ‘I have to hurt him,’” Pereira said. “But then I hit him right there in the [forehead], one of the hardest parts [of the body], and it kept hurting [laughs].”

Rumors swirled claiming the UFC had reached out to Pereira regarding possible fighting Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 310 this December. Several reports have since debunked that claim. With Pereira revealing his hand issue, it’s unlikely that we’ll see him inside the Octagon for the rest of 2024.

Ankalaev waits in the wings as Pereira’s likely contender. He is coming off a unanimous decision win over Aleksandar Rakic at UFC 308. UFC CEO Dana White told reporters that he was impressed by Ankalaev’s performance and said he’ll likely be next in line for Pereira’s title.

Stick with BJPenn.com for continued updates on Alex Pereira’s status and his next title defense as time rolls along.