Glover Teixeira Open to Alex Pereira vs. Josh Hokit Heavyweight Fight
Glover Teixeira is not against putting Alex Pereira in with Josh Hokit as the former two-division champion tries to get back on track at heavyweight. Pereira’s longtime coach told Ariel Helwani he still believes Pereira will win a heavyweight belt, stay at 265 pounds, and can use a fight with Hokit as the first step back.
That path is Teixeira’s idea, not a UFC booking. Pereira is 13-4 and coming off a second-round TKO loss to Ciryl Gane in his heavyweight debut at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14.
The fight was for the interim heavyweight title on the White House South Lawn, and Gane stopped him at 1:27 of Round 2. Pereira had moved up after reclaiming the light heavyweight title with a first-round knockout of Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 last October.
Helwani asked if Pereira would remain at heavyweight. Teixeira did not hesitate.
“He’s going to stay at heavyweight. Yeah, that’s the plan, man.”
The former light heavyweight champion also said he has no doubt about the larger goal. In his view, Pereira still has a third UFC title in front of him if he commits to the climb.
“I know for sure he’s going to get that belt, man.”
Pereira trains at Teixeira MMA & Fitness in Bethel, Connecticut, and has spent his UFC career with Teixeira in his corner. The 38-year-old Brazilian is a former middleweight and light heavyweight champion, ranked No. 9 pound-for-pound, and still listed at No. 3 at 205 pounds.
He is not in the official heavyweight top 15 after the Gane loss. That is the gap Teixeira is trying to close.
Helwani asked if Pereira would fight again this year. Teixeira said he hopes so, then made it clear that the fighter’s instinct is always to take the next date.
“You know, Alex, man, he’s like all the time after the fight, like, ‘When is next?’ He already, before the fight, he already planned the next fight. He wants to fight all the time.”
The coach wants a slower approach after years of stacked camps. He said Pereira fought too often for too long, and this is the stretch to take a breath.
“Right now it’s time to try to control—’Hey, man, take your time.’ It’s too good to take your time. You fought back-to-back for so long, especially after this. But yeah, he wants to fight. A hundred percent. Alex always wants to fight.”
Teixeira said he has no firm preference on the opponent. He also said Pereira’s name still sells, which is why he thinks one strong win could put him back in the title mix.
Then he floated Hokit. He framed it as a joke at first, then as a fight that actually makes sense.
“Come back, and maybe you get this fight. You know, this guy is just talking a lot of sht. You know, Hokit. Go over there, knock his a* out and get back to the top and fight, you know, and get the rematch.”
The rematch in that plan is Gane. Teixeira’s sequence is simple: beat the trash-talker, move back up the division, then get another shot at the man who stopped him in Washington.
“That’s what I say. And I think it’s a good fight for Alex. You know, the guy’s just talking.”
Hokit has given him plenty of material. The unbeaten heavyweight has been calling Pereira out since they crossed paths around the White House card, and he stopped Derrick Lewis in the second round on the same night Pereira lost.
Hokit is 10-0, ranked No. 4 at heavyweight, and has finishes of Lewis and Denzel Freeman this year plus a decision over Curtis Blaydes. Six of his 10 wins have come by knockout.
None of that means the UFC has offered Pereira vs. Josh Hokit. Teixeira was matching a loud contender to a star who needs a way back into the heavyweight picture.
Tom Aspinall remains the undisputed champion. Gane holds the interim title after beating Pereira, and a unification bout has been the obvious next step at the top of the division.
That leaves Pereira looking for a runway, not an immediate title fight. A ranked, unbeaten striker who has been talking is one way to get there, at least in Teixeira’s view.
Pereira has not fought since June and does not have an opponent. If the UFC follows his coach’s suggestion, Hokit would be the first test of whether the move to heavyweight still has a title at the end of it.