Alex Pereira continues to be some of the superior fighters in MMA, each inside and outdoors of the cage.
In a clip from the just-released UFC 307 Countdown present selling his battle in opposition to Khalil Rountree Jr. on October fifth in Salt Lake Metropolis, Pereira returned to his hometown in Sao Bernardo do Campo to supervise a meals supply for households in want. It’s in no way a one-time factor. Pereira has been giving again to his group repeatedly since making hundreds of thousands within the UFC.
“I’ve been blessed and I need to share these blessings with you,” Pereira mentioned over a microphone to an assembled crowd because the meals is being handed out. “The cameras are right here not for me to indicate off however to encourage folks to donate to these in want. I feel we will make a distinction not solely in your lives however within the lives of many others.”
Alex Pereira provides again to the group he was born and raised in
“My actuality was theirs. I went by quite a lot of hardship, and my largest worry was all the time being hungry. So if I can do one thing to assist, I am going to do it.”
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“That is the place I used to be born and raised,” he mentioned to the UFC 307 Countdown crew. “We’re going to offer away over a thousand [food] containers, serving to over a thousand households. It’s been one thing I’ve been doing for some time. My actuality was theirs. I went by quite a lot of hardship, and my largest worry was all the time being hungry. So if I can do one thing to assist, I’ll do it.”
Pereira’s rags to riches story is one thing to behold. “Poatan” labored lengthy hours for years at a neighborhood tire store, to the purpose you could see him within the background of Google Maps photos of the enterprise. He battled alcoholism and escaped the favelas, rising as much as develop into a two-division GLORY kickboxing champion and now two-division UFC champion.
“I feel my story has an enormous world affect,” he mentioned. “At this time, I can see that. Clearly, folks from the favelas know the way arduous their lives are, they usually’re like, ‘This man got here from nothing and has received all of it. He received the place he’s and is conquering the world.’”
“What I normally say is that it isn’t inconceivable. It’s very powerful. I understand how arduous it’s. I’ve been by loads. However I’ve overcome every part with dedication and coronary heart. I feel that made an enormous distinction.”
Pereira is trying to defend his gentle heavyweight title for the third time since profitable the vacant title in November 2023. He’s made some huge cash by being the UFC’s go-to man to save lots of occasions, stepping in at UFC 295 when Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic fell by as a consequence of a Jones harm. They tapped him to headline UFC 300 and he delivered in his battle in opposition to Jamahal Hill. After Conor McGregor withdrew from UFC 303, the promotion as soon as once more referred to as on Pereira.
Now Pereira is utilizing the cash he’s made to offer again to his group, proving he’s a champion in additional than simply combating.