Before the chaos of UFC 322, Madison Square Garden had already picked its main character, and it wasn’t Jack Della Maddalena or Islam Makhachev. As the cameras roamed across the crowded arena, there he was: Alex Pereira, seated with the calm of someone who didn’t need to fight to own the night. The crowd roared, the flashes caught him, and instantly, the energy inside MSG shifted.

Pereira did not need to say a word. Dressed sharp, expression stoic as usual, he resembled a storm in still air, composed yet deadly. Fans online caught sight of his walk-in and turned it into a moment of its own. The event hadn’t even reached its peak, but ‘Poatan’ had already hijacked the narrative from the actual fighters on the card.

Fans can’t get enough of Alex Pereira’s aura

Within minutes, social media exploded with tweets about the stoic Brazilian. “Alex Pereira just rolled into MSG like he owns the place,” a fan wrote. Another added, “Pereira walks in like he already won 😤.” It wasn’t an exaggeration; there’s something about ‘Poatan’ that draws attention without effort.

“Champ’s got that aura—MSG feels it already 🏆🔥,” another user commented, while another put it bluntly: “Alex Pereira pulling up to MSG like a final boss 💀.” It wasn’t just admiration; it was electricity. Alex Pereira, who recently engaged in a public debate with Khamzat Chimaev, did not need to make headlines with his words.

Just being there did it. His presence simply radiated through the crowd, a reminder of how rare it is for a fighter to become a legend while still living. As one fan put it, “Pereira walks in like he runs this circus.” However, it wasn’t only about ‘Poatan.’ His presence appeared to set the tone for the entire card, suggesting that something exceptional was about to happen.

One fan wrote, “You just feel the KO energy in the air 🤣,” as if Pereira’s quiet confidence had infected the building. Another commented, “Prelims about to get spicy.” Well, it looks like the MSG felt alive again, like the calm before a storm. Others simply basked in the moment, echoing the same emotion that swept through the arena.

“👊 Let the violence begin,” one person declared. “Feels like the calm before a storm 🤔,” said another. With the fans, fighters, and now Alex Pereira all involved, UFC 322 felt like more than just a fight card; it felt like an event that only ‘Poatan’ could set the tone for. In fact, the Octagon has already been lit up by a brilliant finish, and it came via the hands of Khamzat Chimaev’s teammate.

Khamzat Chimaev’s undefeated teammate scores a win at Alex Pereira’s “Circus”

Alex Pereira’s walk-in had just electrified the building when the Octagon provided its own shock courtesy of Khamzat Chimaev‘s undefeated partner, Baisangur Susurkaev. If Pereira’s arrival alone set the tone, Susurkaev’s follow-up was considerably louder: a crisp, violent finish that reminded everyone that Chimaev’s camp wasn’t here to admire the lights.

After a rocky first round, Susurkaev calmed in, read McConico’s entries, and crushed him with a powerful right hand that dropped him face-first to the floor. There was no follow-up, no hesitation—just a walk-off as the referee waved it off. Now 11-0, the undefeated prospect has just confirmed what ‘Borz’ has been saying for years: his room is full of problems for anyone at 170.

Naturally, the victory fit well into the current Pereira-Chimaev rivalry. Their feud has already spread over countries, sports, and social media, with ‘Poatan’ challenging him to a charity grappling bout and Khamzat Chimaev answering that he’d submit both him and Glover Teixeira “the same night.”

With Susurkaev adding a highlight to Pereira’s own “circus,” the plot has just gotten sharper. And, if anything, the finish proved that, while Pereira commands the spotlight, Chimaev’s crew is more than willing to steal a share of it.