Is Alex Pereira a Muslim? All We Know About the Ex-UFC Champ’s Religious Beliefs

UFC fighters often hold deep religious beliefs, and many have publicly expressed their faith. Most fans may recall how the famed UFC heavyweight champ, Jon Jones, thanked “Jesus Christ, The Savior” after a victory in his UFC 285 bout against Ciryl Gane. Several UFC fighters have made such religious references in their public appearances to date. However, there are lots of others who have not openly discussed their religious beliefs.

The noted former UFC middleweight champ, Alex Pereira, belongs to the latter-mentioned category of fighters. Although it is sometimes possible to figure out a person’s religion by their name, the method doesn’t work every time. The surname Pereira originates from the estate of Pereira in Portugal. And historically, most individuals with this surname were Christians. So, is ‘Poatan’ a Christian too? Let’s dig in to find out.

Alex Pereira doesn’t follow the religion that he was born into

There are no reports confirming the Brazilians’ religion. However, considering the history of the Pereira surname, it is likely that he was born into Christianity. The 36-year-old has had an extensive kickboxing career. Also, he has been in the UFC for almost 2 years now. But ‘Poatan’ has never showcased a single sign through which the fans can learn about his religious beliefs.

It’s worth noting that a YouTube video uploaded about a year ago showcased him with Sheikh Khaled Taqi Al-Din, who is the director of the Federation of Muslim Associations of Brazil (FAMBRAS). The video displayed Sheikh Khaled Taqi Al-Din guiding Pereira through the Shahada, an oath or a ‘declaration of faith’ in Islam.

This video is the answer to a lot of questions about Pereira’s religion. He is a Muslim. However, this fact was also put up by the well-known MMA coverage house, ‘Calf Kicker’, which stands as one of the primary sources of this information. Their publication also stated that Pereira’s struggled with alcoholism, and this became one of the primary reasons behind converting to Islam since it forbids the consumption of alcohol.

How has this conversion affected Alex Pereira?

Well, to be specific, pretty positively. Even most fans are aware of how Pereira ended up in a circle of alcoholic friends during his time working as a mechanic. But after his reported conversion to Islam, Pereira has managed to significantly get rid of his ill habit of drinking. Reports also say that he hasn’t touched a drop of alcohol since then.

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Pereira could’ve never become the combat sports star that he is today if he had held on to his terrible addiction to alcohol. Many fans may credit his conversion to Islam as the motivation that he needed to give up drinking. His stardom also makes it apparent that a large chunk of fans will be backing him when he takes the Octagon on November 11 against the noted former UFC light heavyweight champ, Jiri Prochazka, at UFC 295. Do you think ‘Poatan’ will manage to delight his fans once more with a win at UFC 295?

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