Alex Pereira is about to make his heavyweight debut on June 14 against Ciryl Gane at the White House South Lawn. A win could mean a title shot against the champion of the division, Tom Aspinall. However, ahead of the fight, something else captured the fans’ minds. 

That includes whether the Brazilian is married. So, before the action begins on the biggest night for both UFC and ‘Potan,’ here’s everything you need to know about Pereira’s love life and his children. 

Who was Alex Pereira Married to?

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira was previously married and has two sons with his former wife. However, he has generally kept details about her and that marriage private. He was also previously engaged to MMA content creator Merle Christine, but they split in late 2023 after he discovered she was secretly already married to someone else.

Has Alex Pereira Ever Spoken About His Dating Life? 

While Alex Pereira has generally kept his personal life out of the spotlight, the Brazilian star opened up about his relationship with former fiancée Merle Christine during an appearance on the Full Send MMA podcast.

“It’s a little hard to talk about this because, for me, I already deleted this person from my life,” he said. “I would also like to ask my fans to also delete her from your life.”

“It was a person I believed, I put her in my house, together with my family. After all I found out, she was married,” he claimed.

Christine quickly pushed back against the allegation in the comments section.

“Lol hurt man inventing whatever,” before adding, “How can I be married and moving to the states lol.”

Pereira later addressed the controversy again on Instagram Stories, where he accused his ex of attempting to manipulate public opinion. 

“Well guys, Merle thinks she’ll be able to manipulate you,” he wrote. “I’ve been talking to her ex-husband for a few days and today I know what she’s capable of.”

The public dispute marked one of the rare occasions Pereira has spoken at length about his dating life, a subject he has otherwise largely kept private throughout his MMA career.

Are there any Publicly Known Past Links or Rumors About Alex Pereira’s Dating Life?

Besides dating Christine, he was in a brief relationship with UFC star Tracy Cortez. The two went public with their romance around the New Year, sharing pictures and a video on Instagram where Cortez playfully asked Pereira if he would marry her.

However, the highly publicized relationship was short-lived. And ended as quickly as it began. Pereira announced just days later via his Instagram Stories that the two had decided to go their separate ways, effectively ending their relationship. 

Does Alex Pereira Have Any Children?

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has two sons. Alessandro and Lohan. Although their exact birth dates are not publicly known, both children are believed to have been born in Brazil during a previous relationship Alex Pereira had before relocating to the United States. Both boys are actively training in combat sports and have started competing in grappling tournaments.

That said, Alex Pereira appears to have a complicated love life. However, fans love him for the sport in which he is so successful. With a potential win on Sunday night, he will become the biggest star the UFC has ever seen.