At New Year’s Eve, Alex Pereira and Tracy Cortez grabbed headlines after going public with their relationship. But that wasn’t the only good news for ‘Poatan’. The two-time light heavyweight champion appears to be enjoying a dream start to 2026, as his family also hit a major milestone, one Pereira couldn’t be prouder of.

During a recent grappling event, ‘Poatan’s teenage sons, Alessandro Vidal Silva and Lohan Vidal Silva, not only competed but also returned home with victories. Pereira’s sons were cornered by UFC legend and former 205lbs king, Glover Teixeira, and the two-division champion couldn’t hide that proud smirk as he watched from the sidelines.  

Alex Pereira earns “proud father” tag as his sons pick up grappling wins

“Alex Pereira watched both his sons win their grappling matches tonight 🔥” Popular MMA social media page, Happy Punch, posted the clip on X.  

Well, ‘Poatan’ was a high-level kickboxer and former Glory champion before becoming a UFC legend. However, his children have started their journey with grappling, which shows how aware Pereira is about developing a strong ground game from a young age. Both of his sons also want to become professional fighters, and Alessandro once said that he wants to fight at UFC 400. That is definitely a solid step toward turning that dream into reality.

But for the unversed, the current UFC light heavyweight king’s sons are not just grapplers. Recently, a video of his 14-year-old son Alessandro striking with Pereira went viral on social media. Another clip later surfaced of him throwing hands with Glover Teixeira, using a stance similar to Pereira’s, which caught plenty of attention. With that kind of support system around them, it is fair to say the Brazilian UFC star’s children have a bright future ahead. 

Now, it still remains to be seen whether the junior Pereiras actually pursue MMA and eventually make it to the UFC. But their father is already on the brink of GOAT status. At least one UFC legend believes so.  

Chael Sonnen believes ‘Poatan’ is on the verge of becoming the greatest

At UFC 320, Alex Pereira brutally knocked out Magomed Ankalaev in their rematch to reclaim the 205 lbs throne. Following that comeback, ‘Poatan’ made it clear that his next move could lie in the heavyweight division, with a possible showdown against Jon Jones at the White House. 

Now, it is true that the matchup would blow the roof off. Even so, Chael Sonnen believes Alex Pereira needs to win a third belt at 265 lbs to end the debate over who is truly the greatest UFC fighter of all time.

“I believe Alex Pereira is one win away from ending our ability to have a GOAT conversation. I think Alex Pereira, with a win at heavyweight and becoming heavyweight champion, ends our ability to even have the discussion. When we talk about the greatest of all time, we just have to refer to Alex Pereira. I really think that,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel.

If the Brazilian superstar actually becomes the UFC’s first three-division champion, he could find himself sitting on MMA’s Mount Rushmore without much debate. But there is a catch. Current heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall is seeking medical attention following a double eye poke at UFC 321, which makes Pereira’s fight for the undisputed belt a bit tricky.

That said, the 205 lbs champion could very well face Ciryl Gane for an interim heavyweight title, something Joe Rogan has also hinted is a real possibility. Now, as Pereira eyes a return in 2026, the big question remains: Does he move up for heavyweight glory, or does he defend his title at light heavyweight first? Let us know in the comments section below.