Last week, at T-Mobile Arena, newly crowned light heavyweight champion Magomed Ankalaev handed fan favorite Alex Pereira his first loss in five fights, leaving his massive fan base disheartened. The Brazilian’s defeat quickly sparked criticism, with many calling his performance “lazy.” Among those questioning his hunger to win was former UFC fighter Michael Bisping, who bluntly stated, “I didn’t see that real desire to want to win… You don’t win a fight by defending takedowns,” as he assessed Pereira’s showing at UFC 313.

As criticism intensified, another polarizing figure, kickboxer-turned-influencer Andrew Tate, grabbed headlines upon his arrival in the U.S., following his ban from the UK and several European nations due to his controversial actions. After leaving the UK, Andrew Tate arrived in the U.S. earlier this month, making his first public appearance at Dana White’s Power Slap event. UFC President Dana White personally welcomed Tate and his brother, Tristan Tate, with a warm greeting: “Welcome to the States, boys.”

Breaking his silence, Tate stepped up to defend Alex Pereira, recalling their shared history. He revealed that they were once slated to fight in 2015, but destiny had other plans. “Pereira is an OG, Pereira fought Sahak Parparyan and I was supposed to fight Pereira a long time ago but he ended up fighting Sahak, back in the It’s Showtime days. So him and I have been fighting way back when. He’s been around and he knows the game. You win some, you lose some…The world loves him, he will be back.”

Though Alex Pereira and Andrew Tate never shared the ring, they do have a common opponent—former WFCA European and world champion Sahak Parparyan. Parparyan tested Tate in 2012 at Showtime 56, proving to be one of the toughest challenges of his career.

Two years later, in 2014, Pereira stepped into the ring against Parparyan at Glory 14: Zagreb, delivering a dominant performance to secure his first major title in the middleweight contender finals Over time, ‘Top G’ shifted his focus to becoming an influencer, while Alex Pereira made a successful transition to MMA. In just over four years, ‘Poatan’ quickly rose to prominence, positioning himself among the sport’s elite alongside names like Conor McGregor and Jon Jones.

What’s the next step for Alex Pereira after losing the title at UFC 313?

Alex Pereira’s coach, Plinio Cruz, called for a rematch with Magomed Ankalaev, urging Dana White and the UFC for another chance. For many, the UFC 313 headline event appeared one-sided, but the judges’ scorecards of 48-47, 48-47, and 49-46 suggested a much closer contest. This sparked reactions from several former UFC fighters, including Chito Vera, Kenny Florian, and Brian Schaub, who sided with the Brazilian and labeled the scorecards as a “robbery.” They felt Pereira had won the 3rd round.

In spite of the controversy, Alex Pereira accepted the loss with grace, vowing to return stronger. After the fight, he posted a heartfelt message on Instagram, thanking his fans for their unwavering support. He expressed his gratitude, saying, “I’m grateful for all your support, for all your love, always supporting me. I’m receiving so many messages of great encouragement. I’m here with my people, my family, my team, my children – everyone’s here with me. Gonna have some pizza, that’s that, life continues. Thank you to everyone, thank you to my team. Gonna make some adjustments for the rematch, and I’ll be back much better. You can count on it. All good, everyone, never give up on your dreams.”

How do you see Alex Pereira’s future in the promotion? Do you believe he’ll recover from his tough loss to Magomed Ankalaev, or, like his counterpart Israel Adesanya, is this the start of a downward spiral? Share your thoughts below.