Are Charles Oliveira and Alex Pereira friends? Exploring relationship between UFC's two top Brazilian stars
Charles Oliveira and Alex Pereira are undoubtedly two of the biggest superstars in the UFC and have established themselves as fan-favorite fighters in the promotion. They're also two of the most popular Brazilian fighters today, with Pereira known for his striking prowess while Oliveira is known as a jiu-jitsu savant.
Given that they're both Brazilians fighting under the UFC, it's no surprise that they share a close friendship and have trained together in the past. While Pereira reigns over the light heavyweight division as king after his stint as middleweight titleholder, Oliveira is a former lightweight champion who holds the record for most submissions (16), most finishes (20), and most bonuses (19) in the promotion.
Are Charles Oliveira and Alex Pereira friends?
Given that Charles Oliveira and Alex Pereira have trained together in the past, they appear to have nothing but respect for each other and often exchange kind words whenever they meet.
In the days leading up to UFC 300, Pereira and Oliveira were recorded running into each other in the fighter hotel. While 'Poatan' was gearing up to face Jamahal Hill, 'Do Bronx' was up against Arman Tsarukyan at the milestone event.
Their encounter was heartwarmingly friendly, with Pereira even cracking a rare smile after Oliveira lauded his punching power with a joke. After 'Poatan' confirmed that his left hand was "calibrated" for Hill, Oliveira jokingly replied:
"Okay then, God forbid. That punch in the head? God forbid."
Check out the video below:
Two years ago, Pereira was interviewed on Olhar da Luta, a Brazilian MMA channel. The kickboxing savant was asked about his relationship with Oliveira and how the two got along. Heaping praise on the jiu-jitsu maestro, Pereira replied:
"I had already trained with him. About two years ago, it was during the pandemic. The guy is super nice, he's a sensational guy. He deserves to be where he is, right? He's a guy who's going to fight for the belt again and I'm sure he's going to get that belt. The guy is awesome."
Watch the full video below: