Alex Pereira‘s night at UFC 320 was filled with redemption and emotion. The Brazilian not only won back his light heavyweight title but also dispelled any remaining doubts following his loss to Magomed Ankalaev earlier this year. His stunning first-round TKO left no space for debate. But what followed beyond the Octagon reminded fans that Pereira’s journey is about more than knockouts; it’s about perseverance, gratitude, and connection.

Following the fight, ‘Poatan’ posted an emotional message on Instagram, reflecting on the hardships and faith that got him through. “Thank you to my family, friends, fans, and my team for all the love and support leading up to this fight,” he wrote on Instagram.

He further added, “Sometimes in life we fall, but never accept staying down. Get up and believe; hard times come, but they go. Believe in yourself and work hard; with a good heart, resilience, and dedication, you are able to overcome the hard times and achieve great things!” His words struck a chord with the MMA world, revealing a humble side to the champion who had just destroyed his opponent in under a minute.

The post drew immediate attention, not only from fans but also from those close to Alex Pereira. His sister, Aline Pereira, a Karate Combat flyweight champion, flooded the comment area with emojis of love and pride, celebrating her brother’s emotional comeback: “😍😍👏👏👏👏🔥🔥🔥🙌🙌🙌❤️.”

Fans were surprised to see another prominent name join in: UFC featherweight contender Diego Lopes. The featherweight star wrote Pereira’s signature phrase “Chama 🔥,” a show of support and respect that quickly became viral among Brazilian fight fans. It is worth noting that Lopes’ reaction was not random.

The featherweight star was formerly a member of Pereira’s fight camp prior to UFC 313, the event at which Pereira lost his belt against Ankalaev. Back then, critics questioned the wisdom of training alongside a fighter who was over 60 pounds lighter. But this time, Pereira changed everything. His training for the rematch included grueling cardio sessions and long-distance endurance.

‘Poatan’ also underwent a punishing 42-kilometer run with Glover Teixeira and Yousri Belgaroui that tested everyone to the limit. It showed how far Pereira had come psychologically and physically since his first setback. And with this raging fire inside him, he managed to get back his throne in under a minute, drawing reactions not just from his sister and Diego Lopes, but also from Jon Jones for his special gesture after the win.

Jon Jones reacts to Alex Pereira holding a moment of silence

Even after winning his title in stunning fashion, Alex Pereira ensured that the night was not all about him. Standing in the Octagon, sweat still gleaming after his 56-second victory over Magomed Ankalaev, ‘Poatan’ paused the celebration to deliver a message that stunned the arena into silence.

Pereira turned to Joe Rogan and spoke calmly, his tone a sharp contrast to the chaos seconds earlier. “We got some news recently,” he said. “Something has happened, so I wanna give my respect to Jon Jones and his whole family. I wanna ask everyone here and everyone at home to take a moment of silence for his brother.”

In a sport dominated by aggression and emotion, the request brought rare stillness. Thousands at T-Mobile Arena dropped their heads as ‘Poatan’ remembered Jones’ brother, Arthur Jones, who had passed away tragically just the day before, drawing reactions from several others in the MMA world. Moved by the gesture, Jon Jones took to X to send a two-word message to Alex Pereira.

‘Bones’ wrote, “Wow Alex 🙏,” as the brief message carried immense gratitude and genuine respect between two champions who have faced their own battles both inside and outside the cage. On the night when Pereira got back his throne, his act of empathy was as impressive as his knockout power.