- Joined
- Oct 20, 2004
- Messages
- 103,597
- Reaction score
- 180,319
Alex Pereira reacts to Magomed Ankalaev claiming he goes to UFC events for “free alcohol”
“I know the pain of the people. He is playing with the feelings of the fans, feelings of the people who go through that.”
@AlexPereiraUFC #UFC313pic.twitter.com/G1yDUWOrNi
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) March 4, 2025
Alex Pereira Responds to Ankalaev, Addresses Past Battles with Alcoholism
Alex Pereira overcame a significant obstacle in his life to become a Ultimate Fighting Championship title holder.
Alex Pereira overcame a significant obstacle in his life to become a Ultimate Fighting Championship title holder.
A former Glory kickboxing champ, Pereira’s career might have ended if not for a taunt from Israel Adesanya. While Adesanya had gone on to become a UFC champ, he once said that the only man to beat him twice in kickboxing must be drinking in a bar in Brazil. That motivated Pereira to start training and transition to MMA. The rest is history.
Pereira is scheduled to defend his light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev in the main event at UFC 313 on Saturday at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Taking aim at Pereira’s past, Ankalaev recently said that “Poatan” frequents other UFC events for the free alcohol. While Pereira claims to not care much about everything else Ankalaev says, he did take note of the comments on alcohol. Pereira believes it is a sensitive subject Ankalaev is playing with, even with respect to fans. However, the champ promises to make Ankalaev pay if the Russian can’t back up his talk with action.
“I don't even pay attention to what he says, the thing he said most about was the alcohol. I don't have that feeling just for me, because I know the pain of the people,” Pereira said on his YouTube channel. “He is playing with the feelings of the fans, feelings of the people who go through that. For what he is going to do at the fight, what he isn't going to do, I just stick to myself. I don't say anything. If I say something and don't do it, it will get ugly for me. If he isn't able to do what he said, he will have consequences with that. I don't pay attention to that.”
Meanwhile, Pereira considers his battle with alcoholism as one of the biggest wins of his career. While recently motivating his teammates, Pereira said that one can become a champion in life by bettering themselves even if they don’t become a UFC champ.
“If you can’t be a champion as a fighter, you can be a champion in life, you can be a better person, a better father, a better mother, a better brother,” he said on the UFC 313 Countdown show. “This is important too… I stopped drinking after four years of training. I already won, that’s a victory. I already won, so I’m a champion in life.”
One of the most active champs in the UFC, Pereira has defended his title three times within a the span of a year. Meanwhile, Ankalaev is unbeaten since his lone pro loss against Paul Craig in his UFC debut in 2018.
@Neck&Neck
@Arqueto @BroRogan @Carl Drogo @lsa
@StonedLemur @Fight Professor @TerrorTimmy @Elvis. @ryun253 @don't ask @C0NCH3TO @MEAN357 @Cooliox @mudrubble @Bobby Boulders @Simple Southerner @svmr_db @Luthien @BoxerMaurits @Neck&Neck @SeattleFightFan @Ares Black @SalvadorAllende @Arm Barbarian @Blanqa Blanqua @Royce's Gi @Cooliox @Krixes @MXZT @wisdom blows @nonoob @Mohawk Banditó @JKS @SuperNerd @2004 account @Mammothman @Bushwhacker B @Siver! @TITS @Cowboy Kurt Angle @Jose Beehive @MEAN357 @NoBiasJustMMA @FlyingDeathKick @Doughie99 @13Seconds @CPH @Kenny Powerth @OldBoy91 @Kryptt @Paynebringer @HI SCOTT NEWMAN @Poirierfan @SenorFranko @MMALOPEZ @Hellowhosthat @Get To Da Choppa @BangBang @Substance Abuse @John makfresshi @Islam Imamate @Wong_Wongster_Irish @TCE @Jackonfire @helax @Iroh
@Arqueto @BroRogan @Carl Drogo @lsa
@StonedLemur @Fight Professor @TerrorTimmy @Elvis. @ryun253 @don't ask @C0NCH3TO @MEAN357 @Cooliox @mudrubble @Bobby Boulders @Simple Southerner @svmr_db @Luthien @BoxerMaurits @Neck&Neck @SeattleFightFan @Ares Black @SalvadorAllende @Arm Barbarian @Blanqa Blanqua @Royce's Gi @Cooliox @Krixes @MXZT @wisdom blows @nonoob @Mohawk Banditó @JKS @SuperNerd @2004 account @Mammothman @Bushwhacker B @Siver! @TITS @Cowboy Kurt Angle @Jose Beehive @MEAN357 @NoBiasJustMMA @FlyingDeathKick @Doughie99 @13Seconds @CPH @Kenny Powerth @OldBoy91 @Kryptt @Paynebringer @HI SCOTT NEWMAN @Poirierfan @SenorFranko @MMALOPEZ @Hellowhosthat @Get To Da Choppa @BangBang @Substance Abuse @John makfresshi @Islam Imamate @Wong_Wongster_Irish @TCE @Jackonfire @helax @Iroh
:no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/24566055/37879469_1533139173458880_2095859236318740480_n.jpg)
