What Does Alex Pereira’s Bow and Arrow Walkout Represent? UFC Champ’s Tribal Connection & More

Alex Pereira is at the top of the world. The UFC light heavyweight champ is the biggest active superstar in the MMA world. Almost universally beloved by fans, his warrior spirit and penchant for achieving extraordinary, unprecedented things over and over again have made him the kind of guy you couldn’t hate even if you tried.

And one of the most visible things that show his warrior spirit (other than his many, many knockouts) is his unique walkout. And what a walkout it is! In this article, we take an in-depth look at Pereira’s spectacular entrance.

Which song does Alex Pereira walk out to?

There are two types of fighters in this world– those who stay loyal to one walkout song and those who don’t. And Alex Pereira is firmly in the former camp and has stuck to one entrance music since he came to the UFC back in 2021. Which song is that exactly, you ask?

Well, it is none other than the electrifying, adrenaline-pumping drum beats and chants of ‘Itsari’ by Brazilian artist, Sepulrura. And it is easy to see why ‘Poatan’ uses this song for his walkout. The song perfectly encapsulates Pereira as a fighter, and is the type of chant that wouldn’t be out of place in the background of a Pataxo tribal warrior preparing for war. 

The song’s beats and tempo are reminiscent of Hans Zimmer’s rousing music in the scene where Bruce Wayne escapes the pit in ‘Dark Knight Rises’. It is a great way to hype up the fans before Pereira’s fights, and he is likely to use it for the rest of his UFC career. But there is another, perhaps even more important part of Pereira’s walkout, which has profoundly personal implications for the Sao Paulo native.

Meaning behind Alex Pereira’s tribal bow and arrow entrance

There are very few fighters in the UFC who have dominated their opponents like the way Pereira has done. Coming from a kickboxing background, the Brazilian is a former two-division champion in the sport. However, more than his fighting skills, his aura instills fear in the opponents. His walkout before the fight is one of the most intimidating scenes for his opponent, where he fires an arrow at the end.

However, he does that just to use it as an inspiration for his indigenous roots. In a YouTube video on the ESPN MMA channel last year, the Brazilian said, “When I first started to train in kickboxing, my first teacher had indigenous roots.” He further went on to add, “I went home the same day and asked my mom. She said my grandparents were indigenous.” This is where the Brazilian decided to use it in his fights just for his indigenous culture.

Pereira said, “It made me feel more confident. We wanted to resurrect my origins and indigenous culture. I made a ritual with the bow and arrow. Then a sequence with the indigenous music and that’s how it started. Then I’m ready for battle.” Pereira does indeed turn up ready and his records inside the Octagon are a testament to that.

His next fight is a rematch of his UFC 295 clash with ‘Denisa’. Both fighters agreed to take on each other in a last-minute notice after the UFC had to change the main event. The former champion had a tough encounter with the Brazilian when they met at UFC 295. However, the real reason for his loss was something else, and not just fighting skills. How do you think he’ll fare this time around? And what about Alex Pereira’s spectacular walkout – will you see it differently, now that you know the backstory?