Alex Pereira was forced to bid farewell to his five-fight unbeaten streak earlier this year when he clashed with Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313. Now, the Brazilian powerhouse is gearing up for redemption at UFC 320 on October 4, 2025, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Determined to reclaim his lost UFC gold, ‘Poatan’ has hinted at making some adjustments—but not in the way fans might expect.

Instead of changing his technique, the 38-year-old revealed he wanted to shake things up with his fight gear. “I feel like changing things up a bit. I want to fight with shorts like this [Yellow]. Of course, I have custom shorts I usually fight in,” Pereira explained. However, despite his wish to bring a fresh look to the Octagon, the latest update suggests that the situation has taken an unexpected turn.

Alex Pereira’s new shorts for Magomed Ankalaev rematch revealed

Earlier today, Home of Fight pulled back the curtain on Alex Pereira’s latest fight gear—and it immediately set the internet buzzing. “👀🔥Alex Pereira will wear a new version of his custom shorts ahead of #UFC320,” the outlet announced, unveiling the fresh design meant for his highly anticipated rematch with Magomed Ankalaev. For Alex Pereira, his fight shorts aren’t just fabric. They’ve become a signature piece of his UFC identity. 

Crafted in collaboration with Venum under the exclusive UFC Unrivaled collection, the line is reserved for only the sport’s elite. His custom ‘Vale Tudo’ compression shorts first made their mark at UFC 300 in April 2024, when he dethroned Jamahal Hill. Bursting with multicolored tribal motifs, the design paid homage to Alex Pereira’s Pataxó heritage—woven with jaguar symbols, traditional patterns, and bold hues that told the story of his roots.

What’s more, it helps function mix with symbolism, flexible, compressive fabric built for peak performance inside the Octagon. Yet despite the artistry and meaning behind the new edition, the latest reveal hasn’t landed as smoothly with fans online—sparking debate before the fight has even begun.

“Fruity Pebbles” – Fans have a field day, roasting Pereira’s shorts for UFC 320

People were immediately against the new design. “Fruity Pebbles a— shorts,” the user wrote. Perhaps the backlash will result in a better design in his next fight. 

Another user asked Pereira to go back to the old ones. “Old ones were better,” the user commented, referring to the symmetrical designs on his old shorts, reminiscent of the indigenous art of his native Tupi tribe. At this point, exactly a week out from UFC 320, it might be too late to revert back to the old designs.

The next user wasn’t happy at all. “They done smeared s—t on half the shorts,” the user wrote. Of course, this is an exaggeration on the user’s part but the sentiment has clearly been conveyed.

The next user echoed the same sentiment. “I can’t be the only one who thinks the new ones are way worse,” the user wrote. If ‘Poatan’ wins wearing these, perhaps people may change their minds. The former light heavyweight champion has been catching strays from fans since losing to Ankalaev earlier this year. A win could probably help him get his aura back, thereby garnering the adoration and respect of fans he earned in his 2023-24 run.

Amid all the scrutiny, one user came out in support of the new design. “They do look much better,” the user claimed. At least, it has some supporters. 

Good design or not, Alex Pereira may very well step into the cage wearing these shorts. But at the end of the day, the design won’t really matter if it doesn’t affect his performance. What are your thoughts on the shorts?