Photos and Videos: Alex Pereira gets honored by his Pataxo tribe in incredible indigenous ceremony
Alex Pereira recently returned to his roots, participating in a remarkable indigenous ceremony with his Pataxó tribe. The UFC light heavyweight champion, fresh off his knockout victory over Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307, joined in ritual dances and blessings, paying homage to his heritage.
Fans were treated to photos and videos of Pereira’s ceremonial honor on social media, where he appeared with fellow tribe members, proudly displaying his Indigenous identity.
Check out some of the photographs below:
Pereira’s win over Rountree Jr. marked his third knockout of the year and underscored his bid for Fighter of the Year. Though Rountree Jr. displayed impressive resilience and even landed a knockdown in the second round, Pereira’s precise striking turned the tide.
By the fourth round, the champion's powerful combinations had Rountree Jr. trapped against the fence before a devastating uppercut sealed the victory.
Alex Pereira still recovering from injury suffered during UFC 307 victory over Khalil Rountree Jr.
Alex Pereira is still recovering from a hand injury he sustained in his title defense against Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307 in Salt Lake City on Oct. 5.
Despite his dominant performance ending in a fourth-round knockout, Pereira revealed in a recent appearance on the Brazilian podcast Podpah that his hand still remains sore.
Pereira described the pain he felt while throwing jabs in the later rounds, saying he initially feared his hand might be broken:
"That fourth round, I was throwing jabs and hurting my hand, I swear. I was thinking, ‘My hand must be broken.’ It still hurts. Not all the time, no, but if I squeeze here, it hurts.”
He added:
“I saw that the jabs were working and thought, ‘I have to hurt him. But then I hit him right there in the [forehead], one of the hardest parts [of the body], and it kept hurting [laughs].”
Check out Alex Pereira's comments below: