Alex Pereira has been preparing for his upcoming fight against Ciryl Gane in Sobralia, a small city in Minas Gerais.
The Brazilian has based his pre-camp around Glover Teixeira's farm. He travelled with part of his team and some equipment, creating a quieter environment for training.
That decision has also brought him closer to the local community.
Beyond his work in the gym, Pereira has been actively involved in charity efforts across the city. His actions have drawn attention from those around him.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Pereira's coach shared how the UFC two-weight champion redirected money he once spent on alcohol into helping others, highlighting a significant shift in his lifestyle.
Glover said on the podcast Overdogs Brasil: "I mocked him once about drinking. I told him, 'Poatan, imagine if you drank during this time. These $3k whiskeys, $1k wine.' He said, 'Glover, I would drink all that. But you know what I like to do? I'll take the money I would spend on drinking and every weekend I'll throw a party for someone,' and he started doing that.
"He threw a party at the cross [a place near Glover's farm], gave away $2.5k in prizes, and now he's organizing a race in Sobralia, giving bingo. Fridges, stoves, we go to people's houses [to donate], and he wants to do this."
He concluded: "And I was thinking, 'If he spent $100k a year or a month on drinks, this guy now spends it on his friends, on the people.' It's unbelievable what he's doing."
Pereira has also impressed during his move up to the heavyweight division.
He has openly spoken about enjoying more freedom with his diet since changing weight classes.
Despite that, 'Poatan' has indicated plans to trim down before fight night.
His aim is to enter the cage in peak condition, focusing on strength rather than excess weight.
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