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Alex Pereira has etched his name in the history books as one of the greatest combat athletes of all time. His accomplishments in kickboxing and MMA are no mean feat and have placed him in a league of distinguished sportspersons, as he's managed to reach the pinnacle of not just one but two different sports.
'Poatan' is fresh off a fourth-round TKO victory against fellow striking wizard Khalil Rountree Jr. Their fight headlined UFC 307 at the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Oct. 5, 2024. In a grueling stand-up war that earned both fighters plaudits, the 37-year-old Pereira ultimately succeeded in defending his UFC light heavyweight championship.
In the wake of his spectacular and downright terrifying stoppage of Rountree, today we look at a few incredible UFC records that Pereira has set, matched, or broken.
#5. Alex Pereira catches up with Islam Makhachev, outshines Khabib Nurmagomedov
Since capturing the UFC light heavyweight championship with a second-round TKO of Jiri Prochazka in Nov. 2023, Alex Pereira has notched three successful title defenses. That includes besting former divisional kingpin Jamahal Hill via first-round KO in April 2024, stopping Prochazka via second-round TKO in their rematch in June, and beating Rountree in October.
On the other hand, Islam Makhachev captured the vacant UFC lightweight championship with a second-round submission victory against former titleholder Charles Oliveira in Oct. 2022. Makhachev, the reigning UFC lightweight champion, has successfully defended the belt thrice thus far.
The Dagestani MMA stalwart beat then-UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski via unanimous decision in Feb. 2023 and first-round KO in Oct. 2023. Makhachev then defeated former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier via fifth-round submission in June 2024.
With his win over Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 307, Alex Pereira matched Islam Makhachev's record of three consecutive successful title defenses among the current UFC champions. None of the current titleholders apart from Pereira and Makhachev are on an active title defense win streak of three (or more) fights.
Furthermore, Islam Makhachev's friend and training partner, retired MMA great Khabib Nurmagomedov, notched three successful title defenses in his reign as the UFC lightweight champion. Nurmagomedov won the belt in April 2018. 'The Eagle' successfully defended it in Oct. 2018, Sept. 2019, and Oct. 2020 before vacating it.
Several fans have pointed out that Pereira notched three successful title defenses in just 175 days, which outshined Nurmagomedov.
#4. Alex Pereira's two-division championship status in kickboxing and MMA
Former boxing world champion and kickboxing veteran Holly Holm holds the distinction of being the first fighter, irrespective of gender, to capture major world championships in the sports of boxing and MMA. Holm did that courtesy of her thunderous second-round KO stoppage of 'Rowdy' Ronda Rousey back in Nov. 2015, a win that earned her the UFC women's bantamweight title.
Similarly, Alex Pereira holds the distinction of being the only fighter to become a two-weight world champion in a major kickboxing organization and a two-weight world champion in a prominent MMA organization as well.
The sport of MMA is no stranger to kickboxing champions. A notable example is Maurice Smith, who won the WKC light heavyweight title and WKA and ISKA titles at heavyweight in the kickboxing realm, in addition to winning the UFC heavyweight belt.
Nevertheless, a two-weight champion in both sports at the highest levels? Well, Pereira is the first, and thus far only, one to accomplish that feat! He previously held the middleweight and light heavyweight titles in the Glory kickboxing organization, is a former UFC middleweight champion, and is the current UFC light heavyweight champion in the sport of MMA.
#3. Three title fights in a calendar year
Alex Pereira matched another record, joining an elite club of fighters who've notched three successful UFC title defenses in one calendar year. The other fighters in that club are MMA pioneer Frank Shamrock and greats like Tito Ortiz, Matt Hughes, Chuck Liddell, Demetrious Johnson, and Kamaru Usman.
Shamrock captured the inaugural UFC middleweight championship, which was subsequently renamed as the UFC light heavyweight championship. He successfully defended the 205-pound title thrice in the year 1998. Additionally, Ortiz notched three successful defenses during his light heavyweight title reign in 2001.
Matt Hughes successfully defended his UFC welterweight championship thrice in 2002, whereas Chuck Liddell notched three successful title defenses of his UFC light heavyweight championship in 2006. Demetrious Johnson successfully defended his UFC flyweight title thrice in 2013, while Kamaru Usman succeeded in defending his UFC welterweight title thrice in 2021.
Speaking of which, with three successful UFC title defenses in the year 2024, Alex Pereira has become the seventh fighter to do so.
#2. Alex Pereira breaks Ronda Rousey's record
Ronda Rousey is widely regarded as one of the most dominant fighters in MMA history. Although the final part of her career in the sport saw her suffer consecutive defeats against Holly Holm and Amanda Nunes, she wreaked havoc in the women's MMA realm until November 2015.
Rousey held the record of having notched three successful UFC title defenses in the shortest period of time, 189 days. She submitted Miesha Tate in their rematch in December 2013, knocked out Sara McMann in February 2014, and knocked out Alexis Davis in July 2014.
Alex Pereira broke Ronda Rousey's record with his successful title defense at UFC 307. He knocked out Jamahal Hill in April 2024, knocked out Jiri Prochazka in their rematch in June 2024, and then knocked out Rountree in Oct. 2024. Pereira notched the three title defenses in 175 days. Ergo, Pereira now holds the UFC record for the shortest time between three consecutive successful title defenses.
#1. 'Poatan' sets record with fastest two-division title conquest in least number of bouts
One of the biggest talking points to emerge from Alex Pereira's UFC light heavyweight title-winning performance against Jiri Prochazka in Nov. 2023 was an insane record the Brazilian fighter had created. To this day, Pereira holds the UFC record for the shortest time period (736 days) and least number of fights (seven) to win UFC titles in two weight divisions.
Pereira debuted with a knockout of Andreas Michailidis in Nov. 2021, outpointed Bruno Silva in March 2022, and knocked out Sean Strickland in July 2022. He then knocked out longtime rival Israel Adesanya to capture the UFC middleweight title in Nov. 2022. Pereira lost the belt to Adesanya via knockout in their immediate rematch in April 2023.
Following that, Pereira moved up to light heavyweight and bested Jan Blachowicz via split decision in July 2023. He then knocked out Jiri Prochazka to capture the UFC light heavyweight belt and become a two-division champion in Nov. 2023.
