Alex Pereira Biography Alex Sandro Silva Pereira, born July 7, 1987, didn’t rise from some glossy fight-gym fantasy—he clawed his way up from a tire shop, where ten-hour days vanished under towers of rubber, oil-stained hands, and skin that never quite came clean. Back then, fixing cars was the only thing that felt remotely interesting, a small spark in a loud, cramped grind where iced cachaça got passed around like survival gear rather than a luxury. It was messy, exhausting, and far from heroic, but that chaos quietly built something tougher than comfort ever could. Fast-forward to now, and Pereira isn’t just a Brazilian mixed martial artist—he’s the UFC Light Heavyweight Champion who already conquered the Middleweight division too, because stopping at one belt clearly wasn’t his style. The shine came later; the grit was always there.
Alex Pereira Biography 2026
Alex Sandro Silva Pereira is a Brazilian mixed martial artist with a kickboxing past that still echoes every time he fights, now ruling the UFC’s Light Heavyweight division after already taking the Middleweight crown—because apparently one summit wasn’t enough. Long before titles and spotlights, alcohol wasn’t some indulgence or escape; it tasted awful at first, something to tolerate rather than enjoy, until repetition quietly rewired that reaction and a habit took shape. It’s an unpolished detail, but an honest one—another reminder that Pereira’s story isn’t built on perfection, just adaptation, grit, and learning to survive long before learning how to dominate.
- Born: 7 July 1987 (age 37 years), São Bernardo do Campo, State of São Paulo, Brazil
- Weight: 93 kg
- Height: 1.93 m
- Martial art: Kickboxing
- Siblings: Aline Pereira
- Division: Middleweight (MMA, Kickboxing); Light heavyweight (MMA, Kickboxing); Cruiserweight (Boxing)
- Fighting out of: Danbury, Connecticut, U.S.
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| Born | Alex Sandro Silva Pereira 7 July 1987 São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil |
|---|---|
| Other names | Poatan |
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (193 cm) |
| Weight | 205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb) |
| Division | Middleweight (MMA, Kickboxing) Light heavyweight (MMA, Kickboxing) Cruiserweight (Boxing) |
| Reach | 79 in (200 cm) |
| Style | Kickboxing |
| Stance | Orthodox |
| Fighting out of | Danbury, Connecticut, U.S. |
| Team | Teixeira MMA & Fitness (2020–present) |
| Trainer | Vinicius Reviravolta, Glover Teixeira, Plinio Cruz |
| Rank | Black belt in kickboxing Black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu under Plinio Cruz |
| Years active | 2010–2021 (kickboxing) 2015–present (MMA) |
| Category | WWE News |
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Early Life
Pereira grew up in a favela and left middle school to work as a bricklayer’s assistant and later in a tire shop. Influenced by those around him, he developed a drinking problem that led to alcoholism. In 2009, he started training in kickboxing as a way to overcome his addiction. When Alex ‘Po Atan’ Pereira won the GLORY World Middleweight Championship in 2017, it marked the beginning of one of the most dominant, destructive reigns in the history of the sport. Win followed upon win, often ending in highlight-reel knockouts of such stunning caliber that the average fighter would consider any one of them a personal career highlight.
In late 2019, Pereira made history by becoming the first fighter in GLORY history to hold two belts in different weight classes at the same time when he captured the vacant interim light-heavyweight championship. Pereira’s rise is all the more remarkable considering that the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil nearly claimed him before he even entered his teenage years. By the age of 12, he had decided school wasn’t for him.
Alex Pereira Career
My parents are both from the native tribal people who lived in Brazil before anyone else came here.” Native heritage and traditions were not subjects which came up often in the dense urban sprawl that Pereira grew up in. And it’s made me more spiritual, more in touch with my ancestry.” In Brazil’s native Tupi language, ‘Po’ means ‘hand’ and ‘Atan’ means something solid, dense, stone-like. Pereira’s nickname ‘Po Atan’ thus translates as ‘Stone Hand’ and is marked by a tattooed collection of rocks and pebbles on his left hand. There’s no secret to the nickname’s provenance: Pereira has been knocking people out ever since he first started competing. As an amateur, he went 25-3 with all 25 wins by knockout. “The three losses weren’t even losses, the judges just gave them the decision for actually surviving the fight,” he jokes.
Alex Pereira record, bio
Alex Pereira was one of the greatest champions in GLORY history,” said Scott Rudmann, co-founder and Vice Chairman of GLORY. “His accomplishments in the GLORY ring speak for themselves, as the only man to ever hold the champion’s belt in two weight classes simultaneously. “Alex continues to make huge waves in combat sports with his successful shift to MMA, and he continues to bring awareness back to stand-up combat. He devotes time and money to community service in his home country of Brazil, and he is a wonderful guy, always humble about his enormous accomplishments. We’re proud to have in the GLORY Hall of Fame.”
Alex Pereira’s Net Worth in 2026
Alex Pereira’s net worth sits around $3 million—a number that doesn’t quite capture the grind behind it. He has accrued significant earnings from his UFC career, where he has gained recognition as a respected fighter. Having previously held the middleweight championship and currently reigning as the light heavyweight champion, Pereira’s achievements in both MMA and kickboxing have further enhanced his financial status.
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Alex Pereira’s Salary
In his fight against Israel Adesanya at UFC 287, Pereira earned a record paycheck of $1.24 million, which included a base salary of $500,000, $700,000 from pay-per-view shares, and $42,000 from sponsorship deals. His subsequent light heavyweight debut against Jan Blachowicz at UFC 291 saw his base salary drop to $210,000.
Bio/Wiki
| Full Name | Alex Sandro Silva Pereira |
| Other name | Poatan |
| Profession(s) | • Mixed Martial Artist • Former Kickboxer |
Physical Stats
| Height (approx.) | 6′ 4″ (193 cm) |
| Weight (approx.) | 93 Kg (205 lbs) |
| Eye Colour | Black |
| Hair Colour | Black |
Family
| Children | Sons– 2 • Alessandro Vidal Silva • Lohan Vidal Silva |
| Parents | Father– Jair Pereira (former professional boxer) Mother– Marilene Pereira |
| Siblings | Sister– Aline Silva Pereira (younger; MMA fighter) |
Relationships & More
| Marital Status | Divorced |
| Affairs/Girlfriends | • Merle Christine (ex-girlfriend) (MMA content creator) • Polyana Viana (rumoured; 2024) |
Personal Life
| Date of Birth | 7 July 1987 (Tuesday) |
| Age (as of 2024) | 37 Years |
| Birthplace | São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo, Brazil |
| Zodiac sign | Cancer |
| Autograph | |
| Nationality | Brazilian |
| Hometown | São Paulo, Brazil |
| School | School Dropout |
| Religion | Islam |
| Food Habit | Non-vegetarian |
| Tattoo(s) | • On front side of his upper body • On his back |
MMA
| Category | • Middleweight (MMA, Kickboxing) • Light heavyweight (MMA, Kickboxing) • Cruiserweight (Boxing) |
| Trainers | • Vinicius Reviravolta • Glover Teixeira • Plinio Cruz |
Alex Pereira’s Endorsements
Pereira’s success in the UFC has enabled him to secure various endorsement deals, including a partnership with OWNIC for NFTs and support from AthletiCBD. As a UFC fighter, he also benefits from promotional incentives related to UFC fight gear.
Alex Pereira’s Investments
While Alex Pereira makes strategic investments using his fight earnings, specific details about his investment portfolio are not publicly available.
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Alex Pereira’s Other Sources of Income
Currently, Pereira’s primary sources of income appear to be his MMA fights and endorsements, with other income streams remaining undisclosed.
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Alex Pereira’s Charity Work
Alex Pereira just delivered another violent masterpiece. At UFC 320, the Brazilian knockout artist flattened Magomed Ankalaev in the first round, reclaiming the light heavyweight belt and cementing his status as one of the UFC’s most bankable stars. Beyond the gold, Pereira’s meteoric rise has brought jaw-dropping paydays, lucrative sponsorships, and a net worth that’s skyrocketed in just three years inside the Octagon. Below, we break down how Poatan quietly built a fortune through devastating knockouts and headline performances. UFC 300, one of the richest cards ever, saw Pereira top the earnings at roughly $2.8 million. Even a loss earlier this year to Ankalaev still pulled in an estimated $2.4 million. His subsequent headline fights—like defending against Rountree and the Procházka rematch—were monster paydays in the $2.9–$3.5 million range.
Summary
This will be Pereira’s third MMA fight in Madison Square Garden where he is 2-0. If he can go 3-0 and win gold for the second time inside The Garden, then he may reach “legendary” status in what has been a small window of time. Heavyweight Fury in further boxing comeback in 2026 The upcoming fight looks to be a Fight of the Year contender. Pereira, who is known as “Poatan”, has trained with the recently retired former light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira, who Prochazka beat for the belt in the 2022 Fight of the Year. A win could return the title to Team Teixeira. “I’m not going into this fight with mixed emotions about vengeance,” Pereira told CBS Sports’ Shakiel Mahjouri via MMA Fighting. I’m going to fight with the mindset that they haven’t even fought before. But looking into the other side of being able to bring Glover his belt back and put it back in the gym, that means a lot to me.”
