Alex Pereira’s Next Fights Ranked by Money, Viewership, Star Power

Alex Pereira’s thrilling, first-round finish over Magomed Ankalaev didn’t just end the Brazilian’s rivalry with the one-time light heavyweight champion, it catapulted Pereira back to superstardom and sets him up for the kind of super-fight he covets most.

The 38-year-old, one of the most exciting strikers in UFC history, is a two-weight UFC champion, and now a two-time ruler at 205 pounds with wins over Jiri Prochazka, Israel Adesanya, and Sean Strickland.

There are clear options for Pereira, both at light heavyweight, and in the division above — and we asked AI to rank his best options according to blockbuster appeal, projected viewership on the UFC’s new platform at Paramount+ beginning January 2026, and estimated salary Pereira could expect to receive.

Khamzat Chimaev

Khamzat Chimaev is a 31-year-old Chechen wrestler with a suffocating style that has seen him storm to the UFC middleweight championship, having slain Kamaru Usman, Robert Whittaker, and Dricus du Plessis along the way.

As a champion at 185 pounds, and considering the way in which he’s manhandled many of his challengers to date, a move to 205 could prove enticing — and a fight that matches Chimaev’s aggression against Pereira’s compusre sells instantly, generating massive online buzz.

The UFC is looking to begin its seven-year, $7.7 billion partnership with Paramount+ with a bang, and this is the kind of headline fight that could draw approximately 7 million views for CBS. It could also be a money-spinner for Pereira, too, with a $6 million to $9 million purse available, according to AI.

It’s a wild card that could be viral, and certainly unpredictable, but it isn’t the mainstream event that two other options could become.

Israel Adesanya Trilogy

Israel Adesanya is a 36-year-old striking phenom from New Zealand who remains one of the most recognizable figures in global MMA.

A former two-time middleweight champion, Adesanya has already shared unforgettable moments with Alex Pereira — first in kickboxing, where Pereira enjoyed two wins, and later in the UFC Octagon, where each man claimed a knockout victory over the other. Their rivalry is built on precision, poise, and pride. And so a trilogy fight (in MMA, or quintilogy overall) would be more than a grudge match; it would be a collision of styles and legacies — Adesanya’s measured, sniper-like counterstriking versus Pereira’s cold-blooded forward pressure. It’s the kind of narrative the UFC can market to perfection: two elite strikers with genuine history settling unfinished business.

With the promotion’s new $7.7 billion partnership with Paramount+ launching in 2026, this fight would give CBS the storytelling and star power it craves. AI projections estimate the match-up could attract 7 to 8 million views across streaming and broadcast, while Pereira’s purse could land in the $8 million to $12 million range.

It’s arguably the easiest super-fight for the UFC to book. Not quite the cultural crossover of the No.1 below, but still a blockbuster steeped in history, and one that could continue to define both men’s careers.

Jon Jones

A fight pitting Pereira against Jon Jones is a no-brainer. Jones is a 38-year-old American icon widely regarded as the greatest mixed martial artist of all time. A former light heavyweight and current heavyweight champion, Jones has beaten legends across two eras — from Daniel Cormier and Alexander Gustafsson to Ciryl Gane — and remains the gold standard for dominance in the UFC.

A superfight between Jones and Pereira would represent the purest form of champion-versus-champion spectacle. It’s legacy versus legacy: the sport’s all-time technician against its most devastating striker. Jones brings unmatched fight IQ and grappling depth; Pereira, ferocious knockout precision and a cold, measured menace. Together, they would headline a generational event — a fight that transcends divisions and speaks directly to the UFC’s history and its future.

With the UFC’s new $7.7 billion broadcast partnership with Paramount+ set to redefine how combat sports reach mainstream audiences, this is the crown jewel the network would crave. AI projections suggest the bout could generate up to 10 million views across Paramount+ and CBS, positioning it as a true tent-pole for the platform. Pereira’s potential payout could even soar into the $10 million+ range, making it the richest fight of his career by far.

“You’re entering a new era,” combat sports media juggernaut Ariel Helwani said on his show on Monday, the 6th of October. “You’re going to have shows on broadcast TV, killing pay-per-view, you make the biggest fights possible by starting next year with a bang.”

“This is a huge, huge fight,” Helwani said.