For years, Alex Pereira remained one of the most exciting fighters the UFC has ever seen. After getting into the UFC, the Brazilian quickly ascended to stardom by winning gold in two separate divisions in just five years. And now, the Brazilian is all set to chase a glory that no one has even dared to chase before.

At UFC Freedom 250’s co-main event, the Brazilian will face Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title. If he wins, the 38-year-old will be crowned the UFC’s first three-division champion, though the undisputed champ will still be Tom Aspinall. In that case, Pereira will undoubtedly push himself even harder against the Frenchman to see it through to the end. But before we get to see Pereira in action once again on June 14th, let’s discover what stories his tattoos tell.

What is the meaning of Alex Pereira’s left-hand tattoo?   

For those unaware, Alex Pereira’s Portuguese moniker, ‘Poatan,’ means ‘Hands of Stone’ in English, and his left-hand tattoo symbolizes exactly that. His left hand features a design of pebbles and stones, depicting the strength and power he possesses.  

Now, when it comes to tattoos, there’s no doubt that Pereira’s left-hand ink stands out just like his signature left hook. But, he also has other body art that tells many stories and is equally intriguing. So, let’s check them out as well. 

Are there any other tattoos on Alex Pereira’s body?  

Outside the left-hand tattoo, Pereira has multiple dragons tattooed on his body. His first was chosen simply because it “looked cool,” not for symbolism. But the next two? Those became personal favorites. The dragon, after all, has always symbolized strength and transformation.

Alongside the dragons, Pereira surprisingly has a koi fish tattoo. He first got it during his GLORY kickboxing days in China, not realizing its full meaning. Later, he learned about the Japanese legend: a koi that swims to the top of a mountain transforms into a dragon. Hence, he got the Japanese Koi tattoo. Following that, ‘Poatan’ also boasts kickboxing tattoos that remind him of the journey prior to Dana White’s promotion. However, he also didn’t forget to honor his UFC journey with a statement. 

Following his win over his most notable rival, Israel Adesanya, Alex Pereira would spare no time in making the moment even more memorable by inking a couple of championship tattoos on both of his biceps. In that regard, he shares the UFC belt tattoo with his compatriot Deiveson Figueiredo.

Beyond that, Alex Pereira seems to be an animal lover since he has a couple of visible animal tattoos on his body, with the first one being a gorilla. Most notably, Conor McGregor’s chest also features a large gorilla that has become iconic. But ‘Poatan’ went ahead with his animal tattoo choices, as he has a jaguar tattoo etched on his body as well. Along with those, Pereira also has many tribal pattern designs. Still, nothing matches the one that he believes is the most important piece of art on his body.

The 38-year-old Brazilian decided to carry the names of his sons on his body. Pereira has beautiful lettering of ‘Alessandro’ and ‘Lohan’ on each of his arms, and once stated that they provide him with a lot of motivation to keep going when times are tough.

As Alex Pereira prepares to face Ciryl Gane at the UFC White House, he will need every bit of inspiration he can gather. His tattoos will probably help him along the way. And if he actually manages to win another title, don’t be surprised if he inks another UFC belt tattoo somewhere on his body.