What does Alex Pereira's face paint and headdress symbolize?

Alex Pereira needs no introduction to the world of professional mixed martial arts. He is an acclaimed kickboxer and a professional mixed martial artist. The Brazilian fighter is currently signed with the Ultimate Fighting Champion and is one of the few double-division champs of the promotion.

After making his professional debut as a mixed martial artist on October 24, 2015, in a middleweight bout against Quemuel Ottoni, Alex Periera went on to witness a meteoric rise in the fight business despite losing his first fight against Ottoni. Just after competing in four professional fights, Pereira made his debut in the UFC. On his debut in the promotion, he was welcomed to the octagon by Andreas Michailidis at UFC 268. Alex Pereira announced his arrival in the promotion with a dominant second-round TKO victory over Michailidis. He became the UFC middleweight champion by beating his old rival, Israel Adesanya, at UFC 281 by a fifth-round TKO. Adesanya later avenged his loss and defeated Pereira at UFC 287 by defeating him via a second-round TKO.

Alex Pereira's face paint and headdress

Alex Pereira belongs to the Pataxo tribe, which is full of Indigenous people of Brazil, and his face paint and the headdress he supports during the traditional weigh-ins signify his connection to his roots. Pereira’s face paint and headdress honor the memory of his ancestors, along with a host of other tattoos that have similar underlying messages.

Alex Pereira's nickname

Alex Pereira is fondly called ‘Poatan’ in the professional mixed martial arts circuit. It might sound like a lovely nickname but in reality, it translates to ‘Stone Hands’ in the Tupi language, underscoring Pereira’s striking prowess and powerful punching ability. He was given this name by his kickboxing trainer, Belocqua Wera.

*Last updated on September 24, 2024.