The Ultimate Fighting Championship is home to some of the most elite athletes on earth. The promotion has signed some of the most gifted athletes to grace its Octagon. Middleweight champion Alex ‘Poatan‘ Pereira is one such name that the fight fans will remember for a long period of time. The 35-year-old has made his name in the realms of kickboxing and now MMA.
After having reached the pinnacle of kickboxing and becoming a two-weight GLORY world champion, the Brazilian has already started making history in the Las Vegas-based promotion. With his most recent win over former champion Israel Adesanya, Pereira’s name has been pushed to the stratosphere.
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However, things weren’t always how it seems so right now. The heavy hitter had to face a tonne of hardships growing up in the favelas of Brazil. ‘Poatan’ never intended to become the world’s best kickboxer and mixed martial artist. His severe addiction to alcoholism may have very well detoured him from where he stands today. Fortunately, Pereira’s champion mindset never let him give up.
Alex Pereira faced alcohol addiction at the age of 12
Some individuals take up sports as a way towards a better life, while some are born gifted for it. However, Alex Pereira used competing as a way to break free from his addiction. The former GLORY champion had a rough upbringing. His poverty struck house forced him to work at a very young age.
Alex’s father served as a bricklayer and his mother was a housewife. This prompted a young Alex to take any available employment. Thus, he ended up working in a tire shop at the mere age of 12. Unfortunately, the Brazilian was introduced to some good and equally bad things. “I learned how to drink”, said Pereira.
While shining light on his addiction on the Nem me Viu Podcast, Alex said “I didn’t have any control over my addiction. I drank more and more. I said to myself, ‘I can quit drinking whenever I want.’ But that’s not how it works.”
Alex presumed that practicing sports would save him from battling this addiction. He mentioned that he wasn’t good at soccer or any such sport. However, the one thing that clicked in his mind was fighting. “I fought a lot when I was a kid, so I thought about combat sports,” added Alex.
The Sou Paulo born went down the quitting road multiple times, only for it to last a month or two. Eventually, after a lot of dedication and self-control, the Brazilian was finally able to put down the bottles for good in his fourth attempt.
Pereira elaborated, “Four years into fighting, I had my whole kickboxing career planned in my head, and I realized I wouldn’t accomplish my goals if I never stopped drinking. That’s when I made up my mind and quit drinking. I haven’t had a drop of alcohol since.”
Glover Teixeira helped ‘Poatan’ become the UFC middleweight champion
Former UFC lightweight champion Glover Teixeira and Alex Pereira share a long history. When Teixeira first opened his gym Teixeira MMA & Fitness, he neither had staff nor any training partners. He had to personally set out to put together a team for the gym, and Alex was one of them. The duo has stuck with each other ever since.
The two have had each other’s backs in their respective bouts in the Octagon. Despite being a decorated striker and known for his power, Alex still loves being a student of the game under the tutelage of Glover Teixeira. The 43-year-old’s pep talk in the 5th round won Pereira his first UFC gold against a formidable opponent in Israel Adesanya.
One of three members of the broadcast team during UFC 281 was former two-division UFC champion, Daniel Cormier. Speaking upon the Madison Square Garden-hosted event, Cormier shared, “I think the key was Glover Teixeira and his team letting Alex Pereira know, very sternly, ‘If you want to be the champion, you’ve got five minutes. You’ve got to lay it all out there.’ And that’s exactly what he did.”
Glover has even alluded to coaching Pereira for an imminent light heavyweight title fight as well. However, as of now, Pereira hasn’t made any comments about a potential move up the weight class.