A London-based organization called MMA Seminars UK invited Pereira as a marquee guest. However, the situation turned sour after numerous complaints regarding Pereira’s behavior during the seminar sparked backlash against the former champion.

“Disgusted by what we all witnessed from this man today,” MMA Seminars UK wrote on Instagram. Reacting to that, a fan who claimed to have attended the paid seminar in the UK alleged that the Brazilian “refused to take photos” with attendees, “refused to sign” pre-bought merchandise, and also accused him of shortening the seminar’s duration, adversely affecting the event.

However, Poatan’s Instagram Stories from the seminar painted a very different picture. He uploaded multiple clips from the UK seminar to his Instagram Story. In more than one clip, the Brazilian legend was seen alongside his head coach, Plinio Cruz, interacting with fans through sparring sessions, taking photos, and signing gloves.

In one of the videos, the attendees could also be heard chanting “Chama.” So, going by Alex Pereira’s own footage, the crowd did not appear nearly as upset as some of the other accounts claimed.

With more details still to emerge, it’s worth noting that Alex Pereira barely has any notable instances of behaving rudely with fans. However, the former two-time light heavyweight champ canceled a meet-and-greet in Canada after his social media accounts were hacked ahead of Magomed Ankalaev last year.

That said, although Alex Pereira’s footage showed a completely different side of the event, there have been other instances where fighters confronted fans and later defended their actions. At UFC 300, Arman Tsarukyan threw a punch at a fan during his walkout.

Now, amid the controversy surrounding Alex Pereira’s recent seminar, another one of his meet-and-greet events has reportedly been called off. 

Alex Pereira’s seminar events in the UK and Netherlands have been canceled  

Other than the recent London seminar, Poatan also had another meet-and-greet planned in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands for June 27 and 28. However, the events have now reportedly been called off due to unforeseen flight issues involving the former champion. As a result, the organizers have apparently issued full refunds to all attendees.  

“Due to unforeseen flight issues, we are unfortunately forced to cancel Meet & Greet with Alex Pereira,” jougearofficial posted on Instagram. “All Meet & Greet ticket holders will automatically receive a full refund. No action is required. Refunds will be processed back to the original payment method and may take 7–14 business days to appear, depending on your bank or payment provider.

“As a gesture of appreciation, and to make sure everyone still has the opportunity to see Alex Pereira, all Meet & Greet ticket holders are welcome to attend  seminar as a spectator free of charge using their Meet & Greet ticket. Unfortunately, the personal photo opportunity during the seminar will no longer take place. We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and disappointment. This situation was completely beyond our control, and we truly appreciate your understanding and support.” 

That said, with Alex Pereira still getting invited to the seminars across the world, it shows that the Brazilian’s star power remains intact even after suffering a crushing loss against Ciryl Gane.