Alex Pereira’s Knockout Reign
Alex Pereira is a Brazilian former GLORY kickboxing champion and former UFC middleweight champion who moved to light heavyweight in 2023. He is known as “Poatan.”
Early Life and Martial Arts Background
Pereira made his professional MMA debut in 2015
Pereira came to the UFC with extensive elite kickboxing experience, having won GLORY championships at middleweight and light heavyweight.
Kickboxing Career
Pereira held GLORY’s middleweight and light heavyweight championships simultaneously, becoming the promotion’s first two-division champion.
Transition to MMA
Pereira made his professional MMA debut in 2015, losing to Quemuel Ottoni by submission. He subsequently developed his MMA career alongside his kickboxing competition.
UFC Debut and Rise to Contendership
Pereira stopped Andreas Michailidis in the second round of his UFC debut in November 2021. His wins over Bruno Silva and Sean Strickland in 2022 came at middleweight.
Pereira won the UFC middleweight title by stopping Israel Adesanya in the fifth round at UFC 281 on November 12, 2022. Adesanya knocked him out in the second round of their UFC 287 rematch in April 2023.
Pereira’s Fighting Style
Pereira is a well-rounded fighter with excellent skills in all areas of the game. However, his striking is where he really excels. Pereira is a devastating striker, and he is able to land strikes from a variety of angles. He is also a skilled grappler, but he prefers to keep the fight standing.
Pereira’s fighting style is characterized by his pressure and his willingness to take risks. He is always looking to land strikes, and he is not afraid to engage in stand-up wars. Pereira is also a very good finisher, and he has a knack for putting his opponents away in spectacular fashion.
Impact on the UFC
Pereira then moved to light heavyweight, defeating Jan Błachowicz by split decision at UFC 291 on July 29, 2023.
Future in the UFC
As of this profile’s November 9, 2023 publication, Pereira was a former middleweight champion preparing to face Jiří Procházka for the vacant light heavyweight title at UFC 295.
Conclusion
Pereira’s career connects two GLORY championship divisions with a UFC middleweight title and a subsequent move to light heavyweight.
Sources
- MMA Fighting: Pereira’s GLORY achievements
- Sherdog: Pereira’s professional MMA record
- UFC: official fight history
- MMA Fighting: Pereira’s light heavyweight debut
Article Tags
Alex Pereira, UFC, MMA, Fight Results, Combat Sports
