Has the aura that once defined ‘Poatan’ cracked? Not long ago, Alex Pereira stood as one of the UFC’s most enigmatic and feared champions. A towering striker who ascended faster than any in recent memory. From his UFC debut in late 2021 to becoming a two-division champion in under two years, Pereira was a mystique. Some would credit his stoic intimidation, and others called him a cold-blooded execution machine. But something did not sit right in his fight against Magomed Ankalaev.

The UFC 313 main event, Alex Pereira vs Magomed Ankalaev, was a quiet recalibration of assumptions. Pereira, an old favorite for his elite striking pedigree, found himself on the wrong side. While he entered as the presumed superior striker, Ankalaev outstruck him with calculated discipline. He neutralized Pereira’s power by exploiting his timing and head movement gaps. Clearly, it was dominance by control, which unsettled Pereira’s fans.

Sure, Pereira performed well where everyone expected him to falter – he stuffed all eleven of Ankalaev’s takedown attempts, even tripping Ankalaev at one point. But, the unthinkable happened when the numbers showed that Ankalaev outstruck the consensus best striker around in the UFC. The Brazilian landed 97 of an attempted 159 while Ankalaev landed 127 of an attempted 224. If this was not enough, a latest social media post only increased the worries of the fans.

A sparring clip of Alex Pereira surfaced on Instagram. Posted by @redcorner.mma, it shows the former double champion trading punches with a visibly smaller partner. Instead of fueling hype for his next outing, it did exactly the opposite for a section of fans who haven’t moved over from his last loss, this March. Though some fans praised a few sharp exchanges, another side was quick to notice the visible fatigue and flat-footedness. They also pointed out a persistent issue that’s followed Pereira throughout his career- hands low, chin high. Notably, after Pereira lost against Ankalaev, Dricus du Plessis took a dig at him.

Pereira became the UFC middleweight champion, defeating Israel Adesanya in 2022, before dropping it back to Adesanya in a rematch, followed by moving up to light heavyweight. He has frequently spoken about fighting at heavyweight or going back to middleweight, but du Plessis thought his loss took their fight off the table.

“Thanks, Ankalaev, for taking the biggest payday of my life,” du Plessis had said on a YouTube vlog. “It’s nothing personal. Aura gone.” The South African phenom had always claimed that he had the keys to hold off Pereira’s striking and believed that Ankalaev did successfully implement the strategy to block ‘Poatan’.

“Listen, look at what I said in the beginning,” du Plessis had said. “If you don’t fight Pereira, he can’t fight. Look at this, he’s waiting for something. He’s going to counter punch him. So people pay money for this b****.” So is Pereira in decline? The concern hasn’t faded. If anything, it’s grown with the latest clip. Not because of what was seen, necessarily, but because of what it reminded people of.

Amid doubts about Alex Pereira’s age and technique, fans find a silver lining

One viewer, @romeo_yun, bluntly observed, “his face didnt cover,” hinting at Alex Pereira‘s continued tendency to leave openings during exchanges. Another, @breadwinnahh666, critiqued his striking rhythm with a touch of sarcasm, saying, “He throws his slots like he’s glitching lol,” drawing attention to what they perceived as mechanical or erratic punching form. Perhaps the most telling remark came from @jayymack20, who noted, “Bro still got his hand low. I see big ank knocking him out,” a direct reference to Magomed Ankalaev and the looming specter of their potential rematch.

The concerns thread a common narrative amongst fans as they’re forecasting negative consequences for Pereira.

User @geraldarevalo35 put it plainly: “Alex looks slow,” a sentiment that age or wear might be catching up with the former double champ. More biting was @richardike_, who remarked, “Chin on a platter,” suggesting Pereira’s upright stance and exposed head could prove disastrous against a precision striker like Ankalaev. Then there was the sarcastic jab from @vah_mos_campeon, who quipped, “is blocking punches illegal?”. This was a stinging critique aimed squarely at Pereira’s guard, or lack thereof. While none of these comments offer technical breakdowns, together they show a sign of discontent in fans.

Amid the skepticism, a smaller but vocal group of supporters saw something different in the clip. They notice evident signs of evolution and refinement in his head movement. “His Head movement is great,” wrote @feelin_american, offering a counterpoint to critiques of Pereira’s defense.

Echoing that sentiment, @tylerthestupididiot added, “Finally learning head movement,” suggesting that even if it’s coming later in his career, improvement is visible. Others focused on the environment rather than the technique itself. “What a Beautiful Gym 😍,” noted @diogocohea, while @adamdtd simply described the footage as “Poetry 👀,” framing the session as something elegant, and far removed from the doom-laden tone of other responses. These comments reveal a segment of fans still willing to see promise in the process.

Alex Pereira, a fighter who climbed the UFC ranks with brutal precision, faces different stakes now. A significant defeat to Magomed Ankalaev definitely shattered that aura. Eagle-eyed fans are responding to the mental aftermath of a dethroned champion gearing up for a comeback. Training footage often stands alone, lacking context, crafted for impact, and seldom reflecting actual fight night performance. What are we actually witnessing? Is it an aging fighter on the decline, or a dangerous striker making adjustments right before our eyes? Now, it’s time for you to weigh in. Are we witnessing the start of a comeback story, or are these the first hints of a decline? Share your thoughts in the comments below.