A promising rising fighter is set to attend Alex Pereira`s highly anticipated bout later today. After successfully making weight for UFC 320`s main event yesterday, Alex Pereira has reportedly gained a significant amount of weight.
Tonight in Las Vegas, `Poatan` aims to avenge his previous loss to Magomed Ankalaev and recapture the light heavyweight title. Following a period away from competition, there`s considerable discussion that Pereira is returning in peak physical condition. Beyond preparing the former champion for this significant rematch, Pereira`s head coach is also nurturing another exciting talent destined for future stardom.
Alex Pereira’s Training Partner King Edokpolo Looks to Follow in His Footsteps After Posing with Dana White
Alex Pereira is on the cusp of making UFC history, aiming to become the second three-time champion across two weight classes on October 4. While `Poatan` is a formidable presence at light heavyweight, let alone middleweight, one of his training partners truly towers over him.
Much like Pereira, who displayed immense potential early in his MMA journey, another fighter who began his training relatively late in life is now seeking similar success. The 24-year-old heavyweight, King Edokpolo, recently posed with Dana White and Hunter Campbell during his presence in Las Vegas for fight week.
Edokpolo, a former baseball player of Nigerian and Japanese descent, currently boasts a 2-0 professional record in Japan`s Rizin promotion. This towering prospect now shares a head coach with Pereira, Plinio Cruz, who openly discussed the fighter’s potential during a September appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show.
“He’s been training for two years but he’s a phenom,” Cruz said. “When I went there the first time, I took Alex with me. We trained, the kid is super talented. I just went again about a month ago. I’m his head coach now, officially. He is very promising.
“UFC have already shown interest but now he has a contract with Rizin so he’s potentially gonna be a big heavyweight star in the UFC one day.”
When Alex Pereira himself was asked about training with Edokpolo, his one-word response was “Grande,” meaning “big.”
Rizin`s Growing Influence in UFC Signings
As Plinio Cruz highlighted, King Edokpolo remains under contract with the Japanese promotion Rizin. However, ongoing discussions between Rizin and the UFC strongly indicate that a transition for the 24-year-old to the Octagon is a distinct possibility in the future.
Reports from January 2024 revealed that Rizin president Nobuyuki Sakakibara expressed interest in meeting with the UFC to facilitate the move of two of his promotion’s top talents. Following these discussions, Kai Asakura was quickly signed by the UFC and immediately placed into a title fight, while Kyoji Horiguchi is anticipated to make his return to the Octagon next month.
