Who is Alex Reyes? Fighter set to compete for the first time since 2017, making it 6 years between consecutive UFC appearances

Alex Reyes' path back to the octagon has been tough and challenging, marked by a six-year hiatus from competitive fighting.

Reyes is gearing up for a lightweight clash against promotional debutant Charlie Campbell at UFC’s Mexican Independence Day card (known as Noche UFC) on September 16 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The 36-year-old American's last bout took place in September 2017 when he made his UFC debut, stepping up a weight class on short notice to face Mike Perry in a welterweight contest.

While that fight opened the door for him in the UFC, 'The Executioner' was subsequently sidelined due to a spinal infection resulting from a stem cell injection, rendering him temporarily unable to walk.

Alex Reyes' health troubles started when he got Escherichia coli, or E. coli for short, from a stem cell injection. This infection led to serious osteomyelitis and various other symptoms, leaving him bedridden and in intense pain. At the same time, Genetech, the company believed to be accountable for the injection, seemingly disappeared after receiving a warning from the FDA.

Alex Reyes (0-1 UFC, 13-3 MMA) holds the title of IBJJF 2012 absolute purple belt world champion and has previously been the undisputed lightweight and Jr. welterweight champion in King of the Cage. Additionally, he has coached four MMA amateur champions, including his brother Dominick Reyes, who once challenged Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight title.

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What does Alex Reyes have to say about his inactivity?

During an interview with MMA Junkie in January, Alex Reyes candidly shared his insights into his period of inactivity from fighting.

'The Executioner' discussed how the illness changed the path of his life and dwelt on his effort to make a return. Reyes stated:

"Doctors were telling me I wasn’t going to walk again, that I wasn’t going to hold my kids, that I needed to change careers. I had a lot of supporters around me. I had my family, my wife, coaches, management, staff at the UFC. They believed in me and I gave it my best shot and I beat the infection. I didn’t need the surgery. Here I am, man, five years later. My mind never left the sport."

He added:

"I’m just blessed that I’m at this point and I’m just fortunate to be at this point in my life and my career to step back in there at the highest level of the sport and compete. My body is ready. My mind is ready. I’ll tell you what. The things that I went through, the things I felt were taken from me, the mental toughness that I gained from it – I’m not going to break, man."

Check out Reyes' comments below (from 0:35):