Alex Pereira is almost a shamanic figure shrouded in mystery. Ever since his debut in the UFC in 2021, his name has echoed a special variant of fear. ‘Poatan’, as he is called in his native Tupi language, the UFC Light heavyweight king has riled up title defenses and dismantled his opponents like a pack of cards. What sets him apart isn’t merely his extraordinary power but the finesse and precision with which he sleeps his opponents in the Octagon.

This thought has reiterated itself in an old clip from ‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ #2164 that resurfaced recently. Talking to guest Action Brunson, Rogan said, “He was born to do this, he comes from a proper 500-year-old Amazon tribe, and all the warriors from that time probably look like him. He’s also very clever. You know he’s so different from everybody else and he’s scary!” Rogan further hinted at Alex’s glorious future in the company and praised him for his superior striking skills.

Joe Rogan believes Alex Pereira has sealed his spot as a future UFC Hall of Famer

The UFC has always been home to the world’s greatest technicians and striking experts. Over the years, we have witnessed menacing, almost otherworldly figures embodying raw power like that of a predatory animal.

Chuck Liddell’s ‘Iceman’ moniker was synonymous with his devasting knockout power with his signature overhand right as his primary weapon. So did other legends like Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva whose striking was a work of art. His fluidity and precision to find unusual angles to nab his opponents were class apart. However, all these fighters resorted to other methods in their game to overcome adversity. However, that has not been the case with ‘Chama’.

Joe Rogan agreed with this and was spot on when he commented upon Pereira’s future spot in UFC’s Hall of Fame. He said, “Alex is built differently and his mind is different too. Two-division champion in just a handful of fights in UFC. An instant Hall of Famer! You know he’s so different from everybody else and he’s such a specialist. He’s taking nobody down and you never have to worry about him taking you down. He’s such a specialist but that specialist is one of the best at that game.”

UFC is not the only place where Pereira’s left hook has left carnage and destruction. Before transitioning to MMA, GLORY’s kickboxing yards were home to Poatan’s devastation. During his outings in the Chinese Glory of Heroes events and GLORY kickboxing, he famously knocked out his biggest rivals including Israel Adesanya and Jason Wilnes. It is safe to say that UFC’s perennial voice is a ‘Poatan’ fan and feels that Pereira has done enough to seal his spot in the upper echelon of UFC greats in the Hall of Fame. A question that arises quite often is whether the two-division UFC champ can add another feather in his cap.

Is ‘Poatan’ on his way to becoming the first-ever 3-division UFC champion?

The history of multi-division champions in the UFC is rich and compelling. So far, the company has seen a total of 9 double champions across its 30-year history with 4 simultaneous two-division champions. Over the years, the ceiling of success in the UFC has only broadened with every new milestone. This brings up the added possibility and almost a fantasy fable in the form of anyone being a 3-division UFC champion. To achieve this, you will have to clean out two divisions and at the same time be Dana White’s best bud.

However, Alex Pereira now finds himself in the conversation to finally break that barrier and etch his name in MMA annals as a potential all-timer. Pereira’s stardom is at its peak and with dominant performances against the best light heavyweights in the world, he has certainly earned the right to move up to heavyweight. Moreover, his heroics in saving UFC’s flagship International Fight Week card in the form of UFC 303 have established him as the company’s most reliable guy. So if he can get his hand raised at UFC 307, he could be on the road to a triple champion status.

Regardless of what happens in the future, ‘Poatan’ has surely cemented himself as a worthy contender for UFC’s premier cabinet of greats. Do you think he has earned his way to move up to heavyweight and challenge for the moniker of ‘the baddest man on the planet’? What are your views? Drop your comments below.