“I need to be ready for war,” Alex Pereira declared ahead of UFC 303 when asked why he shaves his head before fights. “With hair, I look like a good guy, it doesn’t work. I need to be ready for war.” Pereira explained. And now, as UFC 313 approaches, the 205lbs champ is back in his most dangerous form—head shaved, ready for battle, and determined not to look like the good guy anymore!

With a reputation for defying expectations, Pereira remains unfazed. His mindset was captured perfectly in a recent post by Championship Rounds on X: “Alex Pereira has shaved his head— ‘Ready to kill.'” The message echoed Pereira’s own Instagram story, where he posted a mirror selfie with his freshly shaved head, writing in his native Portuguese: pronto pra matar—ready to kill.

The Brazilian is just one week away from his fourth title defense, looking to build on his incredible 2024 campaign, where he earned UFC Fighter of the Year honors. No champion defended their belt more than Pereira last year, racking up three dominant victories and cementing himself as the UFC’s biggest star.

But standing in his way now is Magomed Ankalaev, the formidable Russian who poses one of the toughest tests of Pereira’s career, thanks to his wrestling and control inside the Octagon. And it seems that Ankalaev isn’t intimidated. In fact, he recently issued a bold warning, claiming he would outstrike Pereira—a statement that only fueled the Brazilian’s fire. But if anyone knows the Brazilian, then they know that it is almost impossible to get the better of ‘Poatan’ on his feet.

Moreover, the Brazilian knockout artist has torn through some of the sport’s biggest names, including Jiri Prochazka, Jamahal Hill, and Israel Adesanya. While Ankalaev is a dangerous, cold-blooded predator in his own right, Pereira is already channeling his warrior spirit, preparing to meet fire with fire.

In just seven UFC fights, ‘Poatan’ has accomplished what few ever dream of—capturing titles in two divisions. Since becoming the light heavyweight champion, he has defended his belt three times in just 175 days, an astonishing feat. But beyond his lethal striking and warrior mentality, even his presence commands respect. Just ask MMA coach Din Thomas!

Din Thomas is appalled by Alex Pereira’s personality

“Some of them [his three light heavyweight title defenses] were short notice when they didn’t have main events. And he stepped up and took advantage of these opportunities, which just catapulted him into stardom,” Din Thomas explained to co-hosts Kamaru Usman and Dan Hellie on ESPN MMA.

But beyond his incredible rise, Thomas pointed out something unique about ‘Poatan’—his paradoxical persona. What does he mean by that? Thomas explained by saying, “Like, he’s so terrifying and so scary, but then he’s joking around and having fun. I don’t know how to—I don’t know how to put a finger on what I think about him.”

It’s true—when you see Pereira’s stoic face, he exudes an ice-cold, almost merciless aura, as if he could destroy opponents with a single glare. But beneath that intimidating exterior, there’s a playful, lighthearted side. Just look at his pranks on teammate Glover Teixeira and the barrage of interviews with Nina Marie Daniele. Right now, though, all jokes are on hold.

Pereira has fully embraced his warrior mindset, and with his head shaved, he’s locked in for battle. Are you ready to witness this legendary showdown? Let us know in the comments!