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Alex Pereira in discussions to grapple UFC star Arman Tsarukyan failed to overcome
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- Alex Pereira in discussions to grapple UFC star Arman Tsarukyan failed to overcome
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Alex Pereira could make his return to combat sports outside of the Octagon.
The UFC light heavyweight champion is still waiting for his next fight to be confirmed, as he continues to push for a debut at heavyweight.
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He reclaimed the belt with a knockout win over Magomed Ankalaev last October, avenging the loss that had cost him the title earlier in the year.
Pereira is eyeing a superfight against Jon Jones or a historic run at a third title in 2026.
But while he waits for that news from the UFC, it looks like he is considering another opportunity elsewhere for his first appearance of this year…
Alex Pereira vs Shara Magomedov grappling match being discussed
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
A recent interview has revealed that there are active discussions about Pereira taking on UFC middleweight Shara Magomedov in a grappling contest.
Rizvan Magomedov, the Russian fighter's manager, spoke to SPORT24 and addressed the ongoing rumours.
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After being asked about earlier comments from 'Bullet' that first mentioned the potential match-up, Rizvan confirmed that negotiations are indeed in progress.
"I think Shara is quietly transitioning from a striker to a wrestler," he stated (via Red Corner MMA).
"Regarding his fight (against Pereira), we're waiting for a date. Ideally an event in the Middle East or somewhere else.
"He's filling his free time with these kinds of matches. It will be interesting to watch the fight. It's essentially two strikers, two specialized strikers, who will be fighting.
"The negotiations are ongoing."
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Shara Magomedov held to a draw by Arman Tsarukyan
If that match-up does end up happening, 'Poatan' will be hoping for a better result than Arman Tsarukyan managed.
Tsarukyan, who had gone 4-0 in grappling matches the previous year, was unable to find a submission in his final 2025 bout against Magomedov, which ended in a draw.
The Armenian lightweight had picked up wins over Benson Henderson, Patricky Pitbull, Mehdi Baydulaev, and Makkasharip Zaynukov in 2025.
A growing number of UFC fighters are staying active outside the promotion by competing in organisations like Real American Freestyle and Hype FC while waiting for their next assignments inside the cage.
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