Prominent UFC fighter Alex Pereira is reportedly unhappy with the promotion, a situation that could potentially impact his future in the sport, including a possible early retirement.
On Wednesday, the former champion in two divisions shared an ambiguous message on social media, indicating an apparent conflict with the UFC. Pereira did not provide specific details about the disagreement, but he stated, “I always answered the UFC’s calls, but if they want to play with me, we can do that. I’ve never spoken poorly of the UFC but with what I’ve just heard I’m disheartened.”
The 37-year-old Brazilian added to his statement, “I’ve already had thoughts of not fighting anymore, and after what was just relayed to me this may be the start.”
The precise circumstances prompting the message and its tone remain unclear. Pereira, known as “Poatan,” recently lost his light heavyweight title to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 in March. As of now, no news has been announced regarding his next bout, although discussions about an immediate rematch have taken place without official confirmation.
Before his loss to Ankalaev, Pereira had been considered for high-profile fights, including a potential superfight against UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones. Middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis had also expressed interest in moving up to the 205-pound division to challenge Pereira.
Over the past three years, since transitioning fully from a highly successful kickboxing career in 2021, Pereira has rapidly become one of the UFC`s most recognizable and dependable stars. He notably pursued and defeated his long-standing rival Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title at UFC 281. Following a rematch loss to Adesanya, Pereira ascended to the light heavyweight division, where he secured a second title. He successfully defended this title once before losing it in March 2024.
It is currently unknown whether Pereira`s dissatisfaction with the UFC is related to potential opponents, fight scheduling, financial disagreements, or other factors.
UPDATE: Subsequently, Alex Pereira posted again, claiming that his earlier social media messages were the result of his account being hacked.
