Ambassador · Guides
Alex Pereira and Stake: From GLORY to Two UFC Titles
A profile of Alex Pereira, a two-division GLORY champion who then won UFC titles in two weight classes, and a Stake ambassador since March 2024.
Published by The Gambling Desk ·
- Discipline
- Kickboxing, then MMA
- Achievement
- UFC titles in two weight classes
- With Stake
- Since 27 March 2024
Alex “Poatan” Pereira joined Stake as a UFC ambassador on 27 March 2024. The Brazilian has followed a rare path: a champion in two GLORY Kickboxing divisions, he then won the UFC middleweight and light heavyweight belts in just seven fights with the organisation. His partnership draws on that rapid ascent and an instantly recognisable visual identity.
Kickboxing as His First World Conquest
Originally from São Bernardo do Campo in the state of São Paulo, Pereira began combat sports relatively late. His power, left hook and ability to close the distance took him to GLORY, the leading international kickboxing organisation.
He became middleweight champion in 2017, then also won the interim light heavyweight title in 2019 before being recognised as the division's champion. Those achievements belong to kickboxing: they preceded his arrival in the UFC and explain why his transition to MMA attracted so much attention.
A UFC Arrival That Immediately Gathers Pace
Pereira fought his first UFC bout in November 2021. Just three victories later, he was already given a middleweight title opportunity against Israel Adesanya, a rival he had beaten twice in kickboxing. At UFC 281 on 12 November 2022, he stopped Adesanya in the fifth round to become champion.
Adesanya regained the belt in their April 2023 rematch. That rivalry served as a launchpad, but it does not sum up Pereira: the Brazilian moved up to light heavyweight, beat Jan Błachowicz and then Jiří Procházka, and won a second UFC belt on 11 November 2023. No other fighter had reached titles in two different weight classes so quickly in the organisation.
Three Defences in 2024, Then a Belt Regained
The year 2024 established Pereira as a headline attraction. He defended his light heavyweight title three times and finished every fight inside the distance: Jamahal Hill at UFC 300, Jiří Procházka at UFC 303 and Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307. The UFC subsequently named him its 2024 Fighter of the Year.
Magomed Ankalaev ended that reign by unanimous decision at UFC 313 on 8 March 2025. Pereira received a rematch seven months later and regained the belt on 4 October 2025 at UFC 320, by TKO after one minute and twenty seconds. As of the verification date of 24 July 2026, that fight remains his latest officially recorded UFC result.
“Poatan,” an Identity That Goes Beyond His Record
His nickname means “stone hands” in Tupi. Pereira accompanies it with a walkout ritual inspired by his Indigenous roots, with a symbolic bow and arrow, paint and a necklace. This visual language gives consistency to a fighter who is otherwise restrained in his public statements.
In the cage, his economy of movement contrasts with the violence of his strikes. He attacks the legs, advances without unnecessary gestures and forces his opponent to react to his left hook. That restraint makes each acceleration more readable and reinforces his image as a finisher.
Stake, from the Pre-UFC 300 Announcement to UFC 320 Content
Stake announced Pereira's arrival in its team on 27 March 2024, a few weeks before his defence against Jamahal Hill at UFC 300. He acts as a UFC ambassador for the brand, a role distinct from the institutional partnership between Stake and the organisation.
The relationship has produced identifiable activations. Before UFC 320, Stake released an interview with Pereira, featured him in an advertisement built around poker in the locker room, and offered a promotion in which his supporters could share a prize pool if he finished his opponent on the Stake logo in the Octagon. The partnership therefore uses his image, his fights and content tied to event weeks.
FAQ
Has Alex Pereira Been Champion in Two Sports?
Yes. He held titles in two GLORY Kickboxing divisions, then won the UFC middleweight and light heavyweight belts. Those records belong to two separate sports.
How Long Has Alex Pereira Been a Stake Ambassador?
The collaboration was announced on 27 March 2024. It includes content, campaigns and promotions associated with his UFC events.