Was Alex Pereira really hacked, or was the former 205lbs kingpin hiding something? For the unversed, the Brazilian sent shockwaves through the MMA world with a cryptic post on X, hinting at retirement due to alleged mistreatment by the UFC. Fans were left stunned—until Pereira backtracked, claiming his account had been hacked and reaffirming his strong relationship with the promotion.

“I always answered the UFC’s calls, but if they want to play with me, we can do that. I’ve never spoken poorly of the UFC but with what I’ve just heard, I’m disheartened. I’ve already had thoughts of not fighting anymore, and after what was just relayed to me, this may be the start,” Alex Pereira posted, shocking the entire MMA community and stirring up quite a hubbub.

However, just hours later, the former champ took to his Instagram to clarify that the post was not made by him but by a hacker who had allegedly gained access to his account. “I’ve received a ton of messages, getting messages from everyone who saw a post from my Twitter,” Pereira said in Portuguese on a video posted on his page. “I didn’t even know about it, I was hacked. It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything, you guys see.”

The sudden U-turn has fueled speculation, with former UFC middleweight Derek Brunson seizing the moment to stir the pot and take a jab at ‘Poatan.’ Taking to his X handle, Brunson uploaded a photo of Alex Pereira in his ‘Pataxo’ attire and captioned it as, “BREAKING: Police Were Able to Obtain a Photo of the Man They Believed to Have Hacked Alex Pereira’s Account!” 

It was nothing more than a cyberattack that was unleashed upon Pereira. For now, the post has been deleted. Interestingly, many within the community believe that this was not a hack at all, but rather a statement made by Pereira himself, but he later deleted it. Regardless, Magomed Ankalaev, in his statement, has also come forward to take a dig at Alex Pereira.

Magomed Ankalaev takes a dig at Alex Pereira for hacking revelations

Alex Pereira’s post caught many fans off guard, as they weren’t ready to see their favorite star walk away from the battlefield so soon. However, after the post was deleted, Pereira came forward to clarify what had been happening behind the scenes and assured his fans that he is not retiring from the sport, at least not for now.

Taking this as an opportunity to attack Alex Pereira, light-heavyweight champion, Magomed Ankalaev took to his X handle to say, “The only thing was hacked. It’s Alex’s brain. He’s not a champion anymore. I’m waiting for you. Don’t worry.” The Dagestani wants a rematch with the former champ. Moreover, even Pereira expressed his desire to be granted an immediate rematch owing to his legendary reign and stepping up for the company on vital occasions.

The conversation about an immediate rematch is on the table, with both fighters agreeing to it. What are your thoughts on a potential rematch between these two? Share your opinions in the comments below.