Alex Pereira suffered a crushing loss against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313. After a dominant reign, Poatan couldn’t overcome the toughest test of his career and ended up handing over the 205 lbs belt to the Dagestani. However, the Brazilian wasn’t actually steamrolled by Ankalaev’s grappling. He held his ground and defended every takedown attempt. This has fans wondering: what if Pereira makes the right adjustments and stages a comeback? Still, one big question remains – is he motivated enough?

The reason some fans are asking this question is that Poatan has already built considerable wealth, and for some fighters, that kind of success can make it harder to leave behind a lavish lifestyle and compete purely for legacy. Comparisons with Conor McGregor also began to surface, who has long carried the perception of being uninspired for his UFC return. But the former two-division champion seems to have an answer for that. Ahead of UFC 320 in Abu Dhabi on October 4, the Brazilian didn’t mince his words to address the critics.  

Alex Pereira fires back at ‘Too Rich’ criticism  

At the Ariel Helwani Show, the veteran journalist asked him, “There have been people that sort of implied that, ‘Oh, you’re too rich now, you don’t have the hunger, you don’t have the drive, you’re too successful! You see this stuff? What is your response to them?” To which  Pereira savagely replied, “So, if that was like that, I should’ve lost before, because I was already rich before that fight.”   

Well, Alex Pereira is from the Brazilian favelas, and after facing a very troublesome life, he has finally received the status of being a UFC champ, along with building an estimated net worth of around $4 million. So yes, people might have had that fear that Poatan’s career could turn into inactivity like McGrgegor. However, it’s an undeniable fact that he became a superstar and wealthy even before taking the match with Ankalaev! And now, after a rightful break, he’s back to fight in Abu Dhabi.   

But that’s not all. It hasn’t only been fans questioning him! Some fighters have also chimed in, suggesting that ‘Poatan’ has lost motivation after earning too much money. So, the former light heavyweight king directed some words toward the audience; he also had a message for those fighters.

‘Poatan’ takes a funny dig at the light heavyweight fighter for criticizing him 

Alex Pereira might be one of the most stoic figures in the UFC, but he also has a sense of humor. Amid the ongoing debate about whether he’s motivated or not, Chinese superstar Zhang Minyang decided to stir the pot. In an interview with MMA Fighting, he claimed, “He’s too rich. I think no matter who you are as a fighter, or as a human being, if you are too rich, you are just kind of lacking motivation compared to when you are young, when you are poor, when you are hungry.” 

However, it seems like Pereira had been waiting to give him an answer. So, after The Mountain Tiger lost his fight against Johnny Walker at UFC Shanghai, Poatan found the perfect opportunity to fire back. In an interview with Ariel Helwani, he stated, “There was a fighter who commented on it, right? He lost to Johnny Walker? So, he’s rich!”

Pereira clearly knows how to cook up a response, just like he throws his left hook. But yes, the former two-division champion will still be under pressure when he faces Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320. He has to show the fans that he’s motivated enough to make the necessary adjustments to his game and deliver a stronger performance.

With that being said, do you think Poatan can turn the tide and reclaim the light heavyweight crown in Abu Dhabi? Let us know in the comments below!