Alex Pereira trains with UFC’s hottest team as fans await return fight news

There’s still no clear timetable on when Alex Pereira will return to the UFC, but the former two-division champion is certainly training like he has a fight booked.

One of the biggest stars on the UFC roster, Pereira is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313 that saw “Poatan” relinquish the light heavyweight belt after he successfully defended it three times.

The loss was only Pereira’s second in the UFC after he lost the middleweight belt in an immediate rematch with Israel Adesanya in 2023, and many fans called for the Brazilian to get an immediate rematch of his own against Ankalaev following UFC 313.

Alex Pereira (red gloves) fights Magomed Ankalaev (blue gloves) during UFC 313 at T-Mobile Arena. | Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

Alex Pereira Trains With "Fighting Nerds" In Brazil

Pereira can be forgiven for wanting some time off given the torrid schedule he’s maintained since moving up to light heavyweight, as the 37-year-old managed to fit six fights (five of which were title bouts) between July 2023 and March of this year.

“Poatan” has certainly stayed in shape during his layoff, and while he primarily trains out of Glover Teixeira’s gym in Danbury, CT he also recently got some work in with the “Fighting Nerds” in his native Brazil.

"Fighting Nerds" Stars On The Cusp Of UFC Title Contention

Based out of Sao Paulo, the “Fighting Nerds” have taken the UFC by storm in recent years thanks to the success of team members like Caio Borralho, Mauricio Ruffy, Jean Silva, Carlos Prates, and Karine Silva.

Ruffy scored arguably the year’s best knockout in his last outing when he finished King Green with a spinning wheel kick at UFC 313, while Silva is set to meet Diego Lopes in the main event of Noche UFC and Caio Borralho is booked for a potential title eliminator fight against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Paris.

Paul Craig (red gloves) fights Caio Borralho (blue gloves) during UFC 301 at Rio Arena. | Jason Silva-Imagn Images

Silva faces JJ Aldrich on a UFC 319 card in September that will also see Gerald Meerschaert take on Michal Oleksiejczuk, who knocked out Sedriques Dumas in April in what was his first fight as a member of the “Fighting Nerds” team.

Even if Pereira isn’t about to follow Oleksiejczuk’s lead and formally join the Sao Paulo-based team, seeing the former double-champion back training with some other major UFC names should certainly bolster fan excitement around the idea of a potential return to the Octagon before the end of the year.

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