Alex Pereira undoubtedly has one of the most captivating fighting styles in the UFC. But while his knockout power made him a star, his calm and composed personality has also earned him a loyal fanbase. Usually, ‘Poatan’ doesn’t show much emotion, whether inside or outside the Octagon. That stoic demeanor even inspired the viral “stone face” meme. However, things seem to be very different when it comes to Magomed Ankalaev.

Pereira and Ankalaev had been at odds since their fight became inevitable. After ‘Big Ank’ dethroned ‘Poatan’ at UFC 313, he began taunting him online, adding fuel to their UFC 320 rematch buildup. Things escalated when they clashed at the UFC Performance Institute, and by fight night, Pereira looked more intense than ever. That fury carried into the Octagon, where he brutally knocked Magomed Ankalaev out in the first round before a packed T-Mobile Arena. Despite a brief show of respect afterward, Pereira’s post-fight words showed he hadn’t cooled off yet.  

Alex Pereira shows respect to past rivals and snubs Magomed Ankalaev 

At the UFC 320 post-fight press conference, Alex Pereira was asked to give his opinion about Jiri Prochazka’s emotional reaction to his victory. In which he said, “I admire and respect them, right? Him, Khalil—those two guys always respected me. Hey man, I admire them. Jiri is a very polite man. That’s really cool. Besides that, we’re there fighting, man. One wants to be better, but there’s always respect.”  

That’s quite interesting. While ‘Poatan’ didn’t share much tension with Khalil Rountree Jr., the same can’t be said for Jiri Prochazka. The Czech fighter had previously accused the Brazilian of using “shamanic magic” to gain supernatural powers, even claiming, “I think Alex can’t fight without that,” before their UFC 303 rematch. Prochazka faced backlash for those comments, as many felt he was disrespecting Pereira’s culture. However, the feud cooled off quickly after Pereira knocked him out in brutal fashion.

Still, despite having every reason to hold a grudge, Pereira seems to have let it go. Saving his animosity for Ankalaev instead. That said, whether that changes in the future remains to be seen. For now, the two-time light heavyweight champion will focus on recovery after suffering a rather freak injury in the process. 

‘Poatan’ might be out for a long time

One of the key reasons Alex Pereira became such a massive star is his remarkable activity. Over just 365 days, ‘Poatan’ fought four times against elite competition, an incredible feat that elevated his legendary status. And it’s not like he entered every fight in perfect health. The Brazilian has pushed through injuries and physical setbacks to deliver for the fans. However, this time, it seems he might be sidelined for a while.

In the UFC 320 main event, Pereira used his signature leg kicks to damage Magomed Ankalaev’s calves. He even revealed that he took inspiration from his former opponent Jan Blachowicz, who had success with that same technique against the Dagestani at UFC 282. But while executing those kicks, Pereira ended up breaking his toe mid-fight.

At the post-fight presser, ‘Poatan’ explained, “I had a really good strategy that I saw worked for Blachowicz. The inside calf kicks were working. I threw a few of those, and then he switched stances, and I think I was in the wrong range. I threw another kick to his lead leg, and it landed on the tip of my foot—and I think it’s broken.”

For context, Pereira had already fought Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303 with a broken toe and famously had to pop it back into place after that head-kick knockout. Now that he’s reinjured the same spot, it wouldn’t be surprising if the two-division champion decides to take a longer recovery break this time.

So, what do you think? Will Alex Pereira finally take a step back and focus on healing? Or continue his trademark streak of activity despite the injuries? And do you think he’ll ever truly bury the hatchet with Magomed Ankalaev? Let us know in the comments below.