chen Alex ‘Poatan’ Pereira debuted in the UFC in 2021, everyone saw something special in him. At that time the middleweight champion was Israel Adesanya, and Dana White decided to sign the Brazilian because He had already beaten him twice in kickboxing, one of them by KO. There was already a story behind it created for a division that was in stalemate due to the total dominance of the New Zealander.
In his first fight, he knocked out his rival with a flying knee, and in the third he was already fighting against Sean Strickland, recent champion of the division. A KO of the American in the first round caused In his fourth fight in the company he was already fighting Adesanya for the middleweight title. A meteoric rise that had only just begun.
After losing the entire fight, the Brazilian He achieved a KO in the fifth round that is now UFC history. However, Adesanya would get his revenge in the rematch, and the toughness of his weight cut to stick in that division made him move up a category. A victory over Blachowicz just three months after being knocked out saw him challenge Jirí Prochazka for the light heavyweight title in November last year. whom he knocked out in the second round with his now legendary left hook. In this way, he put his name in history as one of the few champions in two different divisions.
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
Alex Pereira, UFC light heavyweight champion
Dana White’s Wild Card
In 2024, with UFC 300 in the spotlight as the biggest event in history, Dana White had a lot of trouble finding the main event bout. Everyone said no due to problems with injuries or dates, until ‘Poatan’ entered the scene. He accepted the fight against Jamahal Hill and knocked him out in the first round. Just 2 and a half months later he accepted the rematch against Prochazka on short notice. “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,” declared Pereira. after confirming McGregor’s injury and the change of star fight for the event.
I don’t think Prochazka has changed that much. It hasn’t been that long since our last fight.
Alex Pereira, UFC light heavyweight champion
In the previous fight he entered the octagon with a broken finger, curiously the same reason why McGregor will not be able to fight at UFC 303, and this time he arrives wanting to show that the first fight against Jirí 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 before the fight.
Of his nine fights played in the UFC (counting this weekend), Five of them have been with a title at stake. ‘Poatan’ was born for days like this Saturday, and there is even talk of winning perhaps he will seek to go up for the heavyweight title, and thus become champion in three different weightssomething no one has ever done.
