In an interview with Ushatayka, Ankalaev’s coach Sukhrab Magomedov accused Pereira of being sticky and having ointment on his body to help him defend takedowns. He even claimed that Pereira’s mentor Glover Teixeira was known to grease.

Pereira, 37, became the subject of whispers this past week when UFC commentator Joe Rogan claimed on his podcast that Pereira came into the Ankalaev fight with a broken hand and norovirus. There's at least some truth to those rumors, as Pereira confirmed he dealt with injuries, but he declined to go into detail.

Chael Sonnen, a former UFC fighter turned analyst, has a bold take on Alex Pereira’s future. Speaking on Submission Radio on March 27, 2025, Sonnen argued Pereira should not rematch Magomed Ankalaev after their light heavyweight title clash at UFC 313 on March 8,