For most UFC fighters, being on an EA Sports cover is a big achievement. But for Alex Pereira’s fans, it’s causing concern instead. EA UFC is all set to release its next edition, and reportedly, the grand reveal will take place during International Fight Week. But as Alex Pereira is rumored to feature on the cover, it’s caused some worry among his fanbase.

According to social media posts, ‘Poatan’ shaved his head and beard for the EA Sports UFC 06 photoshoot. Later, images of him standing inside the Octagon also surfaced. With all these developments, fans believe the Brazilian star could be the cover athlete, although the franchise has not officially confirmed it.

“Alex Pereira is filming some content for EA Sports today 👀👀 He shared an image of him filming inside a cage with a EA Sports logo on the mat EA UFC 06 on the way? Cover star?” ACD MMA posted on X.

Pereira has been associated with EA Sports for some time. Ahead of his rematch against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320, ‘Poatan’ visited EA Sports headquarters, where he helped the developers capture his biomechanical movements. That means his in-game character will closely replicate his real-life style, further fueling speculation about him being the cover star.

To be honest, featuring on the cover of a UFC game is a proud moment for any fighter, as it reflects their popularity among fans. Previously, stars like Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, and Israel Adesanya have graced the cover and received massive attention. However, while fans are appreciating Pereira for this possible honor, there is also some concern.  

For the unaware, much like the infamous “Drake curse,” the EA Sports UFC cover curse is a superstition fans often talk about. According to it, fighters who appear on the cover tend to lose their next fight or face a decline.

 Now, as Pereira prepares to face Ciryl Gane at the UFC Freedom 250 card for an interim title bout, some fans worry that the curse could come into play. 

Fans fear Alex Pereira’s downfall after UFC 06 photo shoot  

One fan quickly chimed in and wrote, “Oh no he’s getting the cover curse,” followed by another who added, “Well he had a good run.” When it comes to runs, another user pointed out two fighters whose careers, according to fans, dipped after appearing on a UFC cover, “Oh f—k they about to curse Alex like they did Volk and Valentina.”

That’s an interesting observation. For context, Alexander Volkanovski and Valentina Shevchenko featured on the UFC 5 cover released in September 2023. After that, both faced setbacks, especially ‘The Great,’ who suffered knockout losses to Islam Makhachev (UFC 294) and Ilia Topuria (UFC 298).

As for Shevchenko, she had already lost her flyweight title to Alexa Grasso at UFC 285 and failed to reclaim it in their rematch at UFC Noche. Another example fans bring up is Jorge Masvidal, who appeared alongside Israel Adesanya on the UFC 4 cover. While Adesanya’s career remained largely stable, Masvidal went on to lose to Kamaru Usman at UFC 251 and didn’t secure a win afterward.

Keeping those concerns in mind, another user joked that EA Sports should just stick a big “6” on the cover: “So that’s the update done 🤣 stick a 6 on the cover and we’re good to go 🤦 EA are the worst🤣.” Meanwhile, another fan seemed less concerned about Alex Pereira’s career and more focused on the game itself, writing, “Who cares, man. Are we FINALLY getting a GM/Promoter mode where we create our own events instead of just one card? Or is it just going to be a copy and paste of UFC 5?”

As for development, EA Sports is reportedly bringing changes to the action dynamics, though there is little clarity on new modes. Another fan added, “Better be on PC.” The good news is that, for the first time, PC players may finally get access to the UFC game.

That said, as Pereira looks set to feature on the UFC 06 cover, can he break the so-called curse this time? Let us know in the comments section below.