Alex Pereira is currently the biggest UFC superstar in the world, with a humongous fan following. The Brazilian star has dominated the promotion since his debut and has already defeated five former champions. Despite his popularity, Poatan likes to stay connected to his tribal roots, and he recently gave fans an example of this.
Alex Pereira has already fought thrice this year, making him the most active champion on the roster. Currently, he’s enjoying his time off and recently spent some time with his tribe, participating in traditional rituals. In the video, Poatan is also seen shooting an arrow, a moniker he uses during his iconic entrances in the UFC.
Pereira belongs to Brazil’s indigenous Pataxó tribe. Growing up with strong cultural origins, he has frequently displayed pride in his ancestry by adopting ancestral values and symbols. Pereira, known for his striking power in MMA, frequently pays homage to his ancestors by wearing symbolic face paint and tattoos. These depict his journey from tribal beginnings to global prominence in combat sports.
Alex Pereira visited his tribe in Brazil 🏹🇧🇷
🎥 IG / @AlexPereiraUFC #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/8qvcSASwE5
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) November 3, 2024
Apart from this, Pereira is also preparing for his Hollywood debut, for which the shooting will take place in January. According to the reigning champion, he will play a character with very little dialogue, similar to the legendary Terminator. However, he might face his biggest challenge in the light heavyweight division after that.
Top UFC light heavyweight contender promises to destroy Alex Pereira’s shamanic magic
Alex Pereira’s ‘shamanic magic’ controversy revolves around his use of rituals inspired by his indigenous Pataxó heritage. His spiritually empowering practices, like face paint, chants, etc, are often regarded as shamanic magic. In the past, his old rival Jiri Prochazka complained about the same before getting knocked out by Pereira.
Pereira’s arch nemesis, Israel Adesanya, has also mentioned that he felt something similar while fighting the Brazilian. Heavyweight champion Jon Jones also advocated this theory. However, Magomed Ankalaev plans to change everything and destroy Pereira in a potential title fight. Check out the tweet.
Who guys want see me fight next #voodookiller #runningAlex
— Magomed Ankalaev (@AnkalaevM) November 4, 2024
Magomed Ankalaev recently beat Aleksandar Rakic in a three-round light heavyweight title eliminator. However, the fighter was underwhelming, and fans complained about the Russian star’s lack of finishing intent. However, Ankalaev is confident about his chances against Pereira and is desperate to get inside the octagon with him.
