UFC Middleweight Champion Alex Pereira made sure to bring his recently-acquired championship belt back home to his inner circle.
Pereira pulled off a remarkable come-from-behind TKO win against Israel Adesanya last November at UFC 281. In the fifth round, he blitzed Adesanya with a barrage of strikes to capture the belt in just his eighth MMA fight.
Pereira is no stranger to earning world titles, having earned titles in two divisions during his time in Glory Kickboxing. His name value rose in a big way after knocking out Adesanya in March 2017.
After being one of the biggest stories in the UFC in 2022, he’s enjoying the fruits of his labor back home in Brazil. Leading up to UFC 281, he donned facepaint and headwear that paid homage to his indigenous roots in the Pataxó tribe.
Weeks after the biggest moment of his UFC career, Pereira brought the belt back home to his people.
Alex Pereira Brings Belt Back To His Tribe
Check out the photos of Pereira’s reunion with the tribe, as re-shared by MMA Mania.
Pereira’s pre-fight walkout routine, which includes him shooting an imaginary arrow, is also a tribute to the tribe. The Pataxó is a group in Bahia, BR of nearly 12,000 people, who once developed their own language but have since transitioned to the Portuguese dialect.
Pereira could face Adesanya next in an immediate rematch in 2023. But, those plans aren’t solid, and possible fights with Khamzat Chimaev and Robert Whittaker are also on the table.
Brazilian UFC fighters have been honored over the past few years in their home country. Most recently, UFC veteran Edson Barboza was honored with a mural in Rio de Janeiro.
As Pereira prepares for his first UFC title defense, he hasn’t forgotten his roots and the group of people who helped mold him into the person he is today.
What is your reaction to Alex Pereira’s visit to his tribe?
