The controversy surrounding the alleged hacking of UFC star Alex Pereira`s X (formerly Twitter) account continues to spark discussion within the mixed martial arts world.
The MMA community was recently stirred when a post appeared on Pereira`s social media, sharply criticizing the UFC. The post reportedly lambasted the promotion for supposedly offering a fight against Magomed Ankalaev to a different fighter instead of `Poatan`.
The post caused considerable surprise, as it seemed to show Pereira threatening retirement if he didn`t receive the treatment he felt he deserved, especially given his previous contributions to the UFC over the past few years.
However, the post was quickly removed, and Pereira claimed it had been put up by a hacker. This explanation was met with skepticism by many observers, who speculated that the UFC likely sought to resolve the issue privately.
If the latter scenario is true, one former fighter believes Pereira must be extremely careful not to repeat such actions in the future.
Former Champion Josh Thomson Warns Alex Pereira About Criticizing the UFC
Josh Thomson, a former Strikeforce champion and UFC contender, appears to be among those who are not convinced by Pereira`s hacking claim.
Reacting to the incident during an episode of his Weighing In podcast, Thomson suggested that Pereira might have posted his frustrations on X because he perhaps harbors a mistaken sense of being irreplaceable within the UFC.
“I’ve had conversations with a lot of these fighters’ managers,” Thomson said. “Dude, everybody’s dispensable. No one’s safe these days. Conor [McGregor] is not safe, Alex is not safe; doesn’t matter who you are.
“The sport is now officially bigger than any athlete. If you’re a fighter…you do not have anywhere else that will make you the same amount of money.
“So either start minding your Ps and Qs, start taking all the fights they want, they offer you,” Thomson continued. “They’re not gonna be putting up with your guys’ behavior much.
“You have nowhere to go. Take it or leave it.”
Jiri Prochazka Also Declined a UFC Title Shot for a Unique Reason
Adding weight to the theory that the former UFC light heavyweight champion`s hacking claim might be inaccurate was the apparent confirmation that another contender was indeed offered the fight against Ankalaev.
After reports indicated that Pereira declined a title rematch against the Russian for UFC 317 scheduled for June 28, his former opponent and fellow ex-champion, Jiri Prochazka, was reportedly approached.
Shortly after Ankalaev stated that `BJP` (Prochazka) had also refused the offer, the unusual reason for his decision came to light.
A coach revealed to Sportz.cz that Prochazka declined the opportunity to fight Ankalaev because he is focusing on his education. The UFC star is evidently concentrating on his studies and upcoming exams at Masaryk University in his native Czech Republic.
Prochazka`s most recent octagon appearance was at UFC 311 in January, where he secured a knockout victory over Jamahal Hill, keeping himself firmly in contention for the light heavyweight title.
