"What a humble man" - Fans react as Alex Pereira returns to roots, visits tire repair shop he worked at before UFC stardom

Fans praised Alex Pereira as he shared glimpses of his past life. Pereira is widely regarded as one of the greatest combat sports athletes in history for his success in kickboxing and MMA. However, his story did not have an ideal beginning as 'Poatan' had to overcome poverty and addiction to realize his dreams.

The 37-year-old dropped out of school and worked as a bricklayer's assistant and at a local tire repair shop in Brazil to make ends meet. Recently, Pereira shared video clips on his Instagram story from what appears to be a documentary shoot.

The Brazilian took the crew to the tire shop where he worked. Pereira, who has come a long way since he did the job, showcased some of the skills and effortlessly separated the tire from the wheel. The video clips from his Instagram story were reposted by @ChampRDs on X.

Check out the video below:

Fans took to the comments section of the post to share their thoughts. Many praised Pereira for his humble nature. However, a few of them took a playful jab at his apparent struggle with lingering toe injuries.

Fan reactions

Pereira defeated Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 while dealing with a toe injury. Furthermore, after his UFC 303 win over Jiri Prochazka, 'Poatan' was seen popping his toe back in place inside the octagon, suggesting that the injury had not completely healed.

Pereira is the only fighter in history to win two divisional titles in two combat sports. He became a two-division Glory Kickboxing champion before successfully transitioning to MMA. He won the UFC middleweight title in 2022. He is the reigning UFC light heavyweight champion and will attempt the third defense of his belt against Khalil Rountree at UFC 307 in October.