Alex Pereira: The Brazilian who conquered two UFC divisions
When Alex Pereira made his UFC debut in 2021, many saw something special in him. Pereira, known as “Poatan,” had previously beaten Israel Adesanya twice in kickboxing, including a knockout win. This caught the attention of Dana White, who decided to sign the Brazilian due to his impressive record against Adesanya.
Pereira’s first UFC fight was a thrilling one, as he knocked out his opponent with a flying knee. He then quickly moved on to face Sean Strickland, and a first-round knockout secured his spot in the middleweight division.
In his fourth fight in the company, Pereira was already challenging Adesanya for the middleweight title. Although he lost the fight, he achieved a UFC history-making KO in the fifth round.
However, Adesanya would ultimately get his revenge, and Pereira’s weight cut issues led him to move up to the light heavyweight division. He then challenged Jiri Prochazka for the title in November last year and won via knockout in the second round.
As a result, Pereira became one of the few champions in two different divisions, with his legendary left hook playing a significant role in his victories.
“I like to take advantage of these opportunities. I’m going to be 37 years old, I don’t know how much longer I’ll be fighting,” Pereira said.
Dana White’s Wild Card
In 2024, with UFC 300 in the spotlight, Dana White faced difficulties finding the main event bout. “Poatan” then entered the scene, accepting a fight against Jamahal Hill and knocking him out in the first round. He then went on to accept a rematch against Prochazka on short notice just 2.5 months later.
Pereira’s motivation was clear: “I like to take advantage of these opportunities. I’m going to be 37 years old, I don’t know how much longer I’ll be fighting. It’s a good opportunity to stay active, to continue training.”
In his previous fight against Prochazka, Pereira entered the octagon with a broken finger, the same issue that forced Conor McGregor to withdraw from UFC 303. Pereira has been open about his desire to prove that his first fight against Prochazka was not a coincidence. “I don’t think Prochazka has changed that much. It hasn’t been that long. Yesterday I was watching his last fight and I don’t think he has changed much since our last fight. If there’s one thing I could change, it’s my defense against his takedowns,” he acknowledged.
The Brazilian’s rise to the top of the light heavyweight division has been nothing short of meteoric, with five of his nine UFC fights featuring a title at stake. With his recent victories, “Poatan” is now being considered for a potential title challenge in the heavyweight division, a move that would see him become the first champion in three different weights, a feat no one has ever achieved.