From Tyre Shop Worker & Struggling Alcoholic to UFC Glory, Alex Pereira’s Inspirational Turnaround Explored

Alex Pereira, the current UFC light heavyweight champion and the promotion’s former middleweight champion, has quickly become one of the faces of the UFC. This is evident in his recent selection as the main event replacement for a fight against Jiri Prochazka as the Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler bout had to be canceled at the last minute at UFC 303 because of the 35-year-old’s injury. It’s a big deal for Pereira, who is now facing Prochazka, to be chosen as one of the faces of the UFC within just three years of his debut.

However, this inspirational success didn’t come overnight. It’s the result of overcoming setbacks, addiction, and hard work, making Alex Pereira a worthy subject for a biopic movie.

Alex Pereira’s remarkable turnaround

UFC these days is dominated by the “Chama” aura of Alex Pereira, with his stone-faced demeanor and pin-drop silence. “Poatan” became the fastest two-division champion in UFC history in November. Many fans don’t know this, but Pereira didn’t have many opportunities to go to school. He left school at the age of 12 to work at a tire shop in Sao Paulo to help his family beat poverty. However, this led to another setback: alcoholism.

Pereira, under the influence of his colleagues, developed a habit of drinking iced cachaca, a Brazilian sugarcane spirit, and it got so bad that by the age of 16, Pereira was consuming a liter per day. To escape a destruction path, Alex Pereira turned to kickboxing in 2009. “I drank like crazy,” Pereira admitted in a previous interview as quoted by THE SUN.

“That’s when I thought sport would save me. I can’t play football, But I know I had fighting talent, and I chose martial arts,” the champion added. The change worked wonders, but “Poatan” himself acknowledged that his struggles with alcohol lingered during his first four years as a professional kickboxer.

Despite the struggles, Alex Pereira never gave up. He maintained his sobriety, which ultimately led him on the path to becoming an iconic figure in combat sports. Pereira rose to prominence in GLORY, a kickboxing promotion organization, where he captured both the middleweight and light-heavyweight titles, one after the other.

This success story continued in the UFC, where he conquered the middleweight and light-heavyweight titles within a mere 12 months, solidifying his status in the promotion. UFC veteran Daniel Cormier also acknowledged his remarkable achievements.

Is Alex Pereira the new face of the UFC?

Alex Pereira is primed to defend his belt at UFC 303 in a match against Jiri Prochazka. Pereira already established himself as a force to be reckoned with at UFC 300, where he dominated Jamahal Hill. This impressive victory caught the eye of UFC legend Daniel Cormier, who believes Pereira has the potential to become the new face of the company, similar to Conor McGregor’s dominance in the past decade.

During the 2024 UFC Hall of Fame event, Daniel Cormier praised Alex Pereira while addressing the media, saying, “When you are trying to have that as your title [the face of the UFC]… This man here, because of his consistency, because of his activity, because of the time he spends in the octagon, is why people respect him.”

“Look, Conor McGregor will always be the biggest star the UFC has ever seen. But Conor McGregor doesn’t fight anymore. It’s this guy, right here. And it’s this guy because this guy shows up. You never can appreciate anyone who is not here. This guy is always here,” Cormier added.

Do you agree with Daniel Cormier’s assessment? What are your thoughts about Pereira’s journey? Share in the comments below.