Alex Pereira made history in combat sports by becoming a two-division champion in both the UFC and Glory Kickboxing. Some believe that he needs to learn deadly techniques from Steven Seagal to truly be considered an elite martial artist.
Steven Seagal gained fame as an actor in the 90s, but his acting skills seemed to influence his martial arts background. Despite being a 7th Dan Aikido black belt, many doubt the effectiveness of his style in a real fight.
However, Seagal claims to be responsible for the success of fighters like Lyoto Machida and Anderson Silva in the octagon. He recently passed on his techniques to Alex Pereira, including his minimal effort, maximum results style.
The two spent time together earlier this year before Pereira’s three title defenses. Seagal will likely take credit for Pereira’s success in those fights.
Some are conflicted about Seagal’s abilities, but many combat sports athletes still engage in his demonstrations out of respect or curiosity about the effectiveness of his techniques.
Despite the skepticism, training with Seagal did not hinder Pereira’s recent performances. In his last fight, he successfully defended his light heavyweight title against Khalil Rountree Jr. in a closely-fought battle.
Related: UFC 307 Highlights: Alex Pereira vs Khalil Rountree Jr.
