Alexsandro “Poatan” Pereira, born on July 7, 1987, in São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil, is a renowned professional mixed martial artist and former kickboxer.
Growing up in a favela, Pereira faced significant hardships, including poverty and a struggle with alcoholism in his youth.
After dropping out of middle school, he worked as a bricklayer’s assistant and later in a tire shop, where he was influenced by colleagues to drink heavily.
In 2009, Pereira turned to kickboxing to overcome his addiction, a decision that transformed his life.
His natural talent and relentless work ethic propelled him to become one of the most formidable strikers in the world.
Currently competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), Pereira is celebrated for his devastating striking power, particularly his signature left hook, and his ability to compete at the highest levels in both kickboxing and mixed martial arts (MMA).
Siblings
Alex comes from a close-knit family and is one of several siblings, with sources indicating he has a total of six siblings, including three sisters and three brothers.
The most prominent among them in the public eye is his younger sister, Aline Silva Pereira Celso, born in 1990.
Aline, like her brother, is a combat sports athlete who has carved her own path in kickboxing and MMA.
She shares Alex’s Pataxó indigenous heritage and trains under the guidance of former UFC light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira.
Aline began her combat sports journey in 2017, competing in kickboxing with a professional record of 6 wins and 2 losses, including a notable stint in Glory Kickboxing where she challenged for the Super Bantamweight Championship.
She transitioned to MMA in 2022, debuting with Legacy Fighting Alliance (LFA), and later moved to Karate Combat, where she remains undefeated with two knockout victories as of 2025.
Career
Pereira’s combat sports career is a testament to his determination and skill.
He began as an amateur boxer in Brazil, reportedly amassing a record of 25 wins, all by knockout, and 3 losses.
Also Read: Ike Barinholtz Siblings: All About Jon Barinholtz
His transition to professional kickboxing in 2009 marked the start of a stellar career.
Competing in promotions like It’s Showtime, SUPERKOMBAT, and Glory Kickboxing, Pereira achieved unprecedented success.
In 2012, he won the Jungle Fight Middleweight Title and the WGP -85 kg/187 lb Championship.
By 2013, he claimed the WAKO Pro Panamerican K-1 -85 kg/187 lb Championship and earned a silver medal at the W\.A.K.O. World Championship.
His crowning achievement in kickboxing came with Glory, where he won the Middleweight Championship in 2017 with a unanimous decision over Simon Marcus and defended it four times against top contenders like Yousri Belgaroui and Jason Wilnis.
In 2019, he captured the interim Glory Light Heavyweight Championship against Donegi Abena and later unified the title by defeating Artem Vakhitov in 2021, becoming the first fighter in Glory history to hold titles in two weight classes simultaneously.
Pereira transitioned to MMA in 2015, debuting with Jungle Fight and later signing with Legacy Fighting Alliance, where he secured a first-round knockout against Thomas Powell in 2020.
His UFC debut in 2021 against Andreas Michailidis at UFC 268 ended in a second-round TKO, marking the start of a rapid rise.
In 2022, he defeated Israel Adesanya, a longtime kickboxing rival, to claim the UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 281 via fifth-round TKO.
After losing the title to Adesanya in a rematch at UFC 287 in 2023, Pereira moved to the light heavyweight division.
He won the vacant UFC Light Heavyweight Championship against Jiří Procházka at UFC 295 in 2023 and has since defended the title three times, all by knockout or TKO, solidifying his status as one of the UFC’s elite.
Accolades
In kickboxing, Pereira is a former Glory Middleweight Champion (2017) with four successful title defenses and a former Glory Light Heavyweight Champion (2021), making him the first and only fighter to hold Glory titles in two weight classes simultaneously.
He also won the WGP Kickboxing Middleweight Title, the WAKO Pro Panamerican K-1 -85 kg/187 lb Championship, and a silver medal at the 2013 W\.A.K.O. World Championship.
In MMA, Pereira is a former UFC Middleweight Champion (2022) and a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion (2023–present), becoming the ninth fighter in UFC history to win titles in two weight divisions and the first to do so in both middleweight and light heavyweight.
His UFC performances have earned him five Performance of the Night bonuses, and he was named the 2024 Fighter of the Year at the World MMA Awards for his three successful title defenses that year.
Pereira’s amateur boxing record of 25 knockouts further underscores his reputation as one of the most feared strikers in combat sports history.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
