At UFC 303, Alex Pereira will be stepping into the cage with the weight of his heritage and the prayers of his people! Pereira came to the rescue of the UFC and CEO Dana White by accepting a short-notice rematch against Jiri Prochazka after Conor McGregor’s withdrawal from the event sent the MMA sphere into a frenzy. The pair have a history together as Pereira won the vacant UFC light heavyweight by finishing Prochazka in the second round of their fight at UFC 295 in 2023.

Pereira’s nickname, ‘Poatan’, means ‘stone hands’ in the Tupi language and his indigenous ancestry belongs to the Pataxo tribe. The Brazilian champion has never shied away from highlighting his roots in his UFC career, and as such, a chieftain of his tribe has lauded him for the enormous impact his popularity has had on his people’s survival.

Alex Pereira’s massive role in helping his tribe’s survival revealed by chieftain Ubiranan  

According to reports available online, Alex Pereira discovered his indigenous roots through his first kickboxing trainer, Belocqua Wera, who not only gave him his nickname but was also a key figure in Pereira’s journey to finding his origins. The ‘Pataxo’ people belong to the Bahia region of Brazil and have faced historical persecution and land loss of their traditional territories. In a recent update shared on X by MMA Fighting’s Guilherme Cruz, he revealed, “Chieftain Ubiranan and the Pataxó people will come together today to pray for Alex Pereira ahead of his UFC 303 title defense vs. Jiri Prochazka.”

Cruz had also interviewed Chieftain Ubiranan ahead of Pereira’s UFC 300 title defense against Jamahal Hill. ‘Poatan’ usually wears a traditional ‘Pataxo’ outfit, headgear, and body paint to honor his heritage during ceremonial weigh-ins and before his fights.

As such, in his interview with Cruz, Ubiranan stated, “We gain visibility and respect with his fights, he has indigenous roots and has chosen to represent the Pataxó people because we were the first to face the Portuguese [in 1500]. We’ve had so many battles, and now we battle to preserve what’s left of our ethnicity.”

With his tribe’s prayers and support, Pereira will aim to defend his title and showcase the strength and resilience of his people in a crucial clash against Jiri Prochazka. However, his opponent recently came out and claimed that Alex Pereira’s victories inside the Octagon are a result of his tribe’s “shamans”.

Jiri Prochazka doesn’t want ‘Poatan’ to use “magic” at UFC 303  

In a recent appearance on ‘The MMA Hour’, former UFC light heavyweight champion, Jiri Prochazka made a bold claim about Alex Pereira. While Prochazka praised Pereira’s warrior mentality, he also raised questions about his opponent’s dependence upon “spiritual things”.

Prochazka stated, “Everybody knows he is working with some Shamanics, with some Shamans from his hometown and he believes in some spiritual help from them.” He further went on to acknowledge Pereira’s connection to his cultural and spiritual roots but maintained his belief, “I believe in the best performance, in human performance right here right now, without no magic, and let’s see if Alex will still work like that…”

Prochazka’s critique of Pereira’s spiritual reliance adds an intriguing layer to their rivalry, as the Czech MMA fighter is also known for his unique training rituals by the fans that include spending three days in a dark room without food and only water. In conclusion, at UFC 303 Alex Pereira will aim to defend his title and honor his heritage, while Jiri Prochazka seeks to prove the supremacy of raw human performance.

The MMA fandom will be eagerly watching as these two warriors clash to prove who is the best light-heavyweight in the UFC. What are your thoughts on Jiri Prochazka’s claims about Alex Pereira using “magic” in his UFC fights? Let us know in the comments below.