He was working at a tyre shop in São Paulo when he first walked into a kickboxing gym. He had no fighting background or plan, just a young man in his early twenties looking for a place to put his energy and, as he admits, a way to escape the drinking that became routine while working with older men.
That was how it all began. What followed is a story without a simple explanation, because sometimes there just isn’t one. Some fighters stand out, and Alex Pereira is one of them.
Who Is Alex Pereira?
Alex Sandro Silva Pereira, known as "Poatan," is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and ex-kickboxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight and two-time UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, and a past two-division Glory Kickboxing champion. Only a small group in UFC history have held titles in multiple weight classes, including Pereira.
The nickname Poatan, meaning "stone hands" in Tupi, references both Pereira's Indigenous Pataxó heritage and his renowned punching power.
Alex Pereira Stats
- Nationality: Brazilian
- Hometown: São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Division: Light Heavyweight (205 lbs)
- Stance: Orthodox
- Nickname: Poatan
Alex Pereira kickboxing career
Pereira started kickboxing in his early twenties with no martial arts background. His standout trait was power, especially a respected left hook. Years of physical work, like bricklaying and manual labour, revealed an evident physicality when he began competing.
His amateur boxing record, reportedly 25 knockouts from 28 bouts, gave an early indication of what was coming. He transitioned into professional kickboxing through the Brazilian circuit before eventually competing on the international Glory stage, where he became one of the few fighters to hold two weight-class titles simultaneously.
Alex Pereira fighting style
Pereira fights from an orthodox kickboxing stance, with his feet set wider than most and his body angled inward at about 45 degrees. While other fighters keep their hands high, Poatan keeps his low. This is a deliberate choice that improves his mobility, expands his field of vision, and lets him punch from angles that are hard to read.
His head movement is constant and subtle. He draws opponents in with slips and feints, then counters with powerful shots from unexpected angles. The left hook is his trademark punch, but his arsenal also includes low kicks, a sharp jab, and a long guard to disrupt incoming shots.
Despite entering MMA with limited grappling, Pereira improved rapidly in the clinch and takedown defense. His adaptability is evident in his wins.
Alex Pereira's UFC Career
Pereira signed with the UFC in 2021 and made his debut at UFC 268 in November of that year. By his third fight in the promotion in 2022, he was competing for a world title, making him one of the fastest climbers in UFC history from debut to championship fight.
His path to the Middleweight belt went through Israel Adesanya, whom he had already beaten twice in kickboxing. Their rivalry, thought to be over years ago, came back in the Octagon in 2022, where Pereira finished Adesanya in the fifth round to win the title. After losing the belt in April 2023, he moved to Light Heavyweight and then won the 205-pound championship by finishing Jiří Procházka, who is also an OPRO ambassador, at UFC 295 in November 2023. Since then, he has defended and regained the title several times, making himself one of the top fighters of his era at light heavyweight.
He holds UFC records for fastest time and fewest bouts to win championships in two divisions, and for consecutive title fight knockouts in the Light Heavyweight division.
Alex Pereira personal life
In São Paulo, Pereira runs the Instituto Poatan, a community project that offers free kickboxing and jiu-jitsu training, as well as English and computer classes, to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. More than 700 young people are registered. He says it is as important to him as anything he has done in the sport.
In April 2026, Pereira received the UFC Forrest Griffin Community Award for his institute's impact.
The same directness that defines how he fights applies to how he carries himself publicly. There is no manufactured persona. Poatan is who he is.
The OPRO x Alex Pereira Mouthguard
The official OPRO x UFC Alex Pereira Instant Custom-Fit mouthguard is part of the UFC Fighter Collection, a line of officially licensed mouthguards developed in partnership with the UFC, built on OPRO's Instant Custom-Fit technology.
The design draws on Pereira's Pataxó heritage and his identity as El Poatan: Brazilian cultural elements combined with the visual language of a fighter who has always done things his own way.
The mouthguard itself uses OPRO's Dual Compression Cage and Fin Technology to create a secure, custom-feel fit without a dentist visit. Triple-layer construction distributes impact across the guard, and the slim profile keeps breathing unrestricted. It comes with OPRO's standard dental warranty.
It is the same protection trusted by professional fighters and is now available to anyone who trains.
