Alex Pereira Ethnicity, Nationality, Tribe, & More – Where Is the UFC Star From?

Arguably the biggest superstar in the UFC today, Alex Pereira has done what many couldn’t do in their entire careers. Since his 2021 UFC debut, Pereira has been able to capture two titles in the organization. Now, he’ll be putting his light heavyweight title up for grabs for the third time in his career, and in 2024 at UFC 307 The Brazilian will fight surging contender Khalil Rountree Jr. to headline the PPV this weekend.

For a long time now, fans have been curious to know more about Alex Pereira’s background and native roots. Here is everything we know about his ethnicity.

What ethnicity and nationality is Alex Pereira? His early life

Pereira belongs to the Pataxó tribe. The native tribe has a population of little over 12,000 in the Bahia region, Brazil. Also, the tribe used to speak the now-extinct Pataxó language. Later on, a revitalized version, Patxohã, and Portuguese replaced the now-extinct language while retaining some of the Pataxó words.

Growing up, life was, by no means, easy for our resident light heavyweight champion. Alex Pereira had to drop out of school due to financial reasons, leading him to work as an assistant to a bricklayer, and then work at a tire shop, which was a rough phase in his life. He and his colleagues would often indulge in drinking alcohol, a local drink named cachaca, to be exact.

That would eventually lead to alcoholism for Alex Pereira, and he had been vocal about those tough times later when he became a UFC superstar. However, things would turn around for the Brazilian ace, who’d get into martial arts and start kickboxing at the age of 21, and he always represented his roots every time he competed. But what’s the story behind his tribe? Let’s have a look at that front.

All we know about Alex Pereira’s ‘Pataxo’ tribe

The indigenous tribe of Pataxo consists of about 11,800 people, according to certain reports. They went through turmoil in the middle of the last century. Not only was the indigenous population’s region mainly converted into private farms, but they were also expelled from the forest. As a result, the larger society integrated them into their fold, and further, they lost their indigenous identity.

Furthermore, the fighter’s famous bow and arrow walkout ritual has a native connection. Talking to ESPN, the kickboxer-turned-MMA fighter said, “I made a ritual with the bow and arrow. Then a sequence with the indigenous music and that’s how it started.” Thus, this signature entrance became his method of paying homage to his culture and family, as it made him more confident.

In the same segment, the former Glory champion revealed that his first kickboxing teacher had indigenous roots and further admitted that his grandparents were indigenous. Notably, the Sao Paulo fighter wants to help the ‘forgotten’ native population. Thus, he stated, “I want to make a name for myself and in the future use it to help the indigenous people… With that [UFC platform’s media advantage], I have the potential to really help the indigenous people.” Interestingly, Alex Pereira’s nickname also reflects his ethnicity.

Does Alex Periera’s nickname have a connection to his ethnicity?

Significantly, Pataxó also inspired the 37-year-old Alex Pereira’s nickname, ‘Poatan’. ‘Po’ in his native language translates to hands and ‘Atan’ is a stone equivalent. Hence, giving Pereira an apt nickname. However, the Sao Paulo fighter paid tribute to the same with a tattoo of pebbles and rocks on his left hand.

Remarkably, during the pandemic, as the native population had trouble feeding themselves, Pereira left Sao Paulo and went to Porto Seguro to donate food for them. He’s done such acts for many communities, remembering the tough times he had gone through during his younger years.

What do you think of this dedication of Alex Pereira towards his community? Also, let us know your prediction for his fight against Khalil Rountree Jr. and how you think it will go down this time around in the comments below.