During the summer, Alex Pereira stopped by the tire shop where he used to work in Brazil.
It's not as if the UFC light heavyweight champion — whose impressive rise in MMA has made him one of the world's top mixed martial arts stars — wants to go back to his old job, and that's not unusual.
For 'Poitin', it's important to stay attached to his roots as his career approaches the sun. That meant staying in touch with the owners of São Paulo's Vila Nova Boraccharía, where he says he developed the competitive spirit that drives him. Today we are going to be great in a cage.
“That's very important to me,” Pereira recently told the Post via video call through interpreter and jiu-jitsu coach Plinio Cruz. “I don't remember ever not going to São Paulo. São Paulo is my hometown, so I've never not stopped there. Every time I go, I'm happy. The owners are very happy there. It’s very important to me to stop by because this is part of my story.”
Competition has clearly evolved for Pereira, from the days of competing with colleagues to change tires the fastest, to now preparing for his third title defense, although he tried again in a recent video shared on social media. I am doing it. He will face challenger Khalil Rountree Jr. in the main event of UFC 307 on Saturday (10 p.m. ET, ESPN+ pay-per-view) in Salt Lake City.
Pereira (11-2, 9 finishes) made UFC history at breakneck speed, taking just two years and five days from his successful debut with the promotion to becoming the fastest man to win a UFC title in two weight divisions. . He moved to middleweight in 2022 and light heavyweight a year later, both crowned at Madison Square Garden.
In the following tricks, Pereira competed against Frank Shamrock (1997-98), Tito Ortiz (2000-01) and Jon Jones (2011-12).
In November, Pereira knocked out former champion Jiri Prochazka to take the title that the Czech initially vacated due to injury, and then in April he knocked out former champion Jamahal Hill, who briefly held the title after Prochazka. , whose own reign ended due to injury. Prochaska in June, setting up their fourth championship showdown in less than 11 months.
“For me, making history is absolutely important,” Pereira says of his penchant for achieving rare feats. “Also, I can inspire people by being an example of people from where I come from, so that my family and myself can have a better life. So I use that as motivation, I want to inspire more people.”
With the UFC's annual November bout at the Garden only a month away, it's almost certain that Pereira won't be attending the high-profile event in New York for the first time since signing with the promotion in 2021.
Not that Pereira is disappointed, he has long said that the Garden event is high on his list of venues.
“Like I said before, Madison Square Garden is like fighting at home. It's only a little over an hour and a half drive,” said the Bethel, Conn.-based coach and former UFC light heavyweight. said Pereira, who trains at champion Glover Teixeira's gym. For example, you need to fight a battle like this. Much better. But I'm a fighter. I will fight anywhere. ”
The same applies to your opponents. Pereira said he was just as motivated to fight anticipated challenger and No. 2 contender in the UFC, Magomed Ankalaev, as he was to face Rountree. A surprising choice by the UFC for this spot considering his No. 8 ranking. Ranking.
One of Ankalaev's strengths is grappling, an area that is considered a weakness for the former two-division Glory kickboxing champion and has yet to be tested at a high level during his three years in the UFC.
Instead, Ankalaev will face No. 5 ranked Aleksandar Rakic later this month, likely with a shot at the winner and the title shot.
Pereira said he doesn't know what factors led the UFC to designate Rountree (13-5, nine finishes) instead. Against Rountree, he is a dark horse candidate who has won five in a row (four of them by TKO) after only four wins in his first 10 fights. It was a trip to the UFC, and although the champion was initially confused, he has grown accustomed to the unusual booking.
“It was completely the UFC's choice. I didn't understand it at first either. I think the fans were a little nervous at first, too. [about the idea]' says Pereira. “But I think they’re more excited. [Rountree] I believe it will be a very good fight, so it will be a great fight for everyone. ”
Further potential history continues to hang in Pereira's orbit. Pereira has expressed his desire to fight at heavyweight and aim for a third-division title. No fighter in a major MMA organization has achieved that feat.
UFC CEO Dana White has always been reluctant to pursue such pursuits, but Pereira has another idea that White generally doesn't like about mixed martial artists: boxing.
“Dana said she was going to start boxing, and that's something I would love to do,” Pereira said. “He's going to have to have a face. He's going to have to have a champion. I'm ready for that.”
