Josh Thomson thinks a major Alex Pereira would fall by the hands of a late, great knockout artist.
No one has torn through the UFC quite the like the previous two-division champion. Pereira began a speed run within the UFC’s middleweight division, scoring KO after KO, after which going 1-1 with Israel Adesanya before he bounced back at light heavyweight.
Pereira began 5-0 at 205 lbs, with 4 knockouts in 4 title fights. Pereira eventually lost to Magomed Ankalaev within the foremost event of UFC 313 in March, by decision. Recently forged as a A24 movie villain, ‘Poatan’ seeks his real-life revenge against Ankalaev at UFC 320 on Oct. 4 in Las Vegas.
Ahead of his sixth-straight title fight, fans online are debating not who would win between Ankalaev and Pereira, but as a substitute Pereira and ‘Rumble’ Johnson, the bogeyman of the division within the years before him.
Josh Thomson explains why Anthony Johnson ‘destroys’ Alex Pereira in fantasy fight
Anthony Johnson was one among the best KO threats in UFC history, if not, the best.
Johnson stopped the likes of Alexander Gustafsson, Ryan Bader, Jimi Manuwa, Antônio Rogério Nogueira, and nearly knocked out the legendary Daniel Cormier of their two-fight series.
One among Johnson’s most brutal KOs got here over Pereira’s coach and former UFC champ Glover Teixeira in 13 seconds.
‘Rumble’ died in 2022 on the age of 38. Since his passing, Johnson has been linked to a fantasy fight with Pereira occasionally.
The UFC even photoshopped him fighting Pereira in a promo for UFC super-fights that never took place, akin to Tony Ferguson vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Former UFC lightweight Josh Thomson firmly believes Johnson would’ve KO’ed Pereira in his prime.
“I’m an enormous Alex fan but Rumble destroys him,” Thomson wrote on X.
“[Too] fast and far more power than anyone who’s already knocked Alex out. Plus, rumble could wrestle if things went south.
“You didn’t just jab Rumble… you paid every-time you threw a shot at him,” Thomson responded to a fan who disagreed along with his take.
“[Johnson] KO’d people so bad they found themselves,” the UFC veteran said.
Alex Pereira has only been knocked out once in his UFC profession, which was in his middleweight rematch against Israel Adesanya in 2023. Pereira is a Muay Thai striker, a method that many fighters say is ‘tit for tat’ within the stand-up.
Where does Anthony Johnson rank all-time in KO wins?
Johnson’s name continues to be near the highest of the UFC record books.
The legendary knockout artist racked up a complete of 11 knockout wins in his UFC profession and 17 as a professional.
Johnson is tied for third-most knockout wins in UFC history, alongside Anderson Silva, Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway, Matt Brown, and Thiago Santos.
Known for his insane KO power, Johnson was thought to be one among absolutely the nicest fighters outside the cage.