Throughout his remarkable fighting career, Alex Pereira has defeated almost every opponent he has faced. Yet when someone beats him, it makes headlines. In the UFC, fighters like Israel Adesanya and Magomed Ankalaev are among the rare few who have truly challenged the Brazilian during his 11-fight tenure under Dana White & Co. But over the years, fans have speculated endlessly about Pereira’s losses in his kickboxing career, keeping debates alive across the MMA community.

That curiosity surged in 2025 when the UFC signed Tunisian-Dutch kickboxer Yousri Belgaroui, instantly drawing widespread attention. Fans’ interest grew even further upon learning that Belgaroui had not only faced Alex Pereira in the past but is now training with him, reigniting discussions about their rivalry. Naturally, this led to a burning question: did Belgaroui ever defeat  Pereira? 

Alex Pereira and Yousri Belgaroui’s kickboxing rivalry explained

Alex Pereira spent most of his more than decade-long fighting career in kickboxing. Between 2012 and September 2021, he fought over 40 matches against top opponents such as Artem Levin, former UFC rival Israel Adesanya, and Artem Vakhitov. During this time, he faced Yousri Belgaroui three times under the GLORY promotion, and the Brazilian holds a 2-1 advantage in their rivalry.

Pereira and Yousri Belgaroui first clashed in 2017 at GLORY 40 in Copenhagen, battling three rounds in the middleweight division, with Belgaroui claiming victory via unanimous decision. After that loss, ‘Poatan’ quickly bounced back, defeating Marcelo de Souza in a boxing match and then beating Maycon Silva under WGP Kickboxing. Returning to GLORY, he dethroned Simon Marcus to claim the title, which then led to another showdown with the Tunisian-Dutch star.

In their next two encounters, Alex Pereira successfully defended his GLORY middleweight belt, first by doctor stoppage in Rotterdam at GLORY 49 and then by decision in New York at GLORY 55. Both fights took place in the middleweight division. Now, years later, the Brazilian actively supports his former rival, the ‘Baby Face Assassin,’ as he chases success in the UFC middleweight ranks.

Where Pereira and Belgaroui stand in their careers today

Around the same time Alex Pereira left kickboxing to join the UFC, Yousri Belgaroui left GLORY in 2021. He joined the UAE Warriors roster and quickly made his mark with impressive performances in MMA (1 kickboxing bout). To sharpen his skills further, ‘Baby Face Assassin’ trained alongside Pereira and his coach at Teixeira MMA & Fitness in Connecticut, his new base.

In 2023, Charles Oliveira’s teammate, Marco Tulio, defeated Yousri Belgaroui at DWCS, temporarily delaying his UFC dream. However, Belgaroui bounced back stronger and won two more fights at the 2024 DWCS. This time, the 6’6” fighter knocked out his opponent and secured his UFC contract. He scored a successful UFC debut last year in Vancouver with a victory over Azamat Bekoev and is now set to return this week at UFC Seattle to secure his second win.

Speaking about Alex Pereira, he has already cemented his status as a legendary figure in the UFC by claiming both the middleweight and light heavyweight championship belts. Now, Pereira counts down to compete for the heavyweight title, which UFC Freedom 250 will decide on June 14, when he faces Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight championship.

The big question is: Will Pereira make history as a three-division champion?