Terrible sign! Poatan's last opponent in kickboxing issues worrying warning about a move to heavyweight.

Poatan focused before fighting in the UFC. Photo: Reproduction/X/UFC

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On June 14th, in Washington (USA), Alex Poatan seeks a special achievement. The Brazilian will have the chance to become the first champion in three different weight classes in the company's history at UFC White House . To expand his legacy in MMA, the renowned striker needs to defeat Ciryl Gane , one of the best heavyweight fighters (up to 120,2 kg). However, Artem Vakhitov, who knows the São Paulo native like few others, makes an important observation regarding him in the new division.

In an interview with the 'Standemup' profile, the Russian, who fought Poatan twice in Glory and evened the rivalry by being his last opponent in kickboxing in 2021, indicated that his move from light heavyweight (up to 93 kg) to heavyweight may have been rushed. And Vakhitov's perception is shared by MMA fans and professionals.

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In fact, many have pointed out that the Brazilian is not as strong as imagined and is instead carrying excess weight. Interestingly, Poatan himself admitted to neglecting his diet and promised total focus on preparation to perform in top physical, mental, and technical shape. Nevertheless, Vakhitov remains pessimistic about his rival's success in the heavyweight division.

“Alex has always been big. Gaining weight has never been a problem for him, but he needs to do it right. You can see from his physique that he's gained extra weight. He probably thought it would help him in wrestling, but it won't work in his favor in striking,” said the fighter.

“Gane is a natural heavyweight. Alex started at 84 kg, then went up to 93 kg, and now he looks as big as Gane. This will backfire on him,” he concluded.

Vakhitov focused before fighting at Glory. Photo: Reproduction/Facebook/Glory

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Terror of former champions

Alex Poatan , 38, rose to fame in kickboxing with Glory and made his UFC debut in 2021. From there, the Brazilian experienced a meteoric rise, becoming one of the organization's main stars.

It's no coincidence that the athlete won the middleweight and light heavyweight titles. Furthermore, the renowned striker has a record that includes former champions: Israel Adesanya , Jamahal Hill , Jan Błachowicz, Jiri Prochazka (twice), Magomed Ankalaev , and Sean Strickland.

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