2026 is already testing Alex Pereira. On the very first day, ‘Poatan’ and Tracy Cortez went public with their relationship, sending fans into a frenzy. Cortez even shared a special video days later, playfully asking Pereira if he would marry her in the future.

Staying true to his laid-back style, Pereira said, “Chama, bady.” Everything seemed sweet until news of their breakup surfaced. “I would like to communicate with you guys that… we decided it would be better for the both of us to go our separate ways,” Pereira wrote. Despite that closing note, it appears the story isn’t over yet.

Alex Pereira goes out for a run in the rain

Since announcing his breakup, the Brazilian kickboxer has shared another clip on his Instagram story. The 38-year-old was seen running at night amid heavy rainfall, a scene that looked straight out of a movie just before the main character goes into revenge mode.

In the video, ‘Poatan’ said, “Rain of blessings, god is good all the time. That’s it, loose motivated Chama.” What led to the pair’s breakup remains unclear, and it’s also uncertain whether Pereira’s rainy-night run had anything to do with the split.

Cortez previously dated Brian Ortega. The pair were reportedly engaged before parting ways for unknown reasons. Alex Pereira, meanwhile, was married to the mother of his two children, though details about her life have largely remained private. 

He also dated Merle Christine, but they later separated, with Pereira claiming he discovered she was already married. Regardless, once fans spotted Poatan’s rain-soaked Instagram story, social media went into a frenzy.

Fans are relieved that Alex Pereira and Tracy Cortez broke up

One user mocked Tracy Cortez and Pereira’s short-lived relationship. “She turned Chama into Chama Gump,” the user wrote. This joke is a reference to the popular movie Forrest Gump, where the lead chases down his childhood sweetheart. 

Meanwhile, this user felt that Pereira would use this breakup as motivation. “He’s coming for her 3-division record,” the user commented. Pereira has claimed he wants to move to heavyweight to face Jon Jones. But to become a three-division champion, he will have to beat Tom Aspinall. 

Another user thought the breakup would allow ‘Poatan’ to focus on what’s more important. “Yes, back to the grind thank god,” the user wrote. But Pereira has been grinding his whole life. 

Someone else felt the breakup was intentional. “He broke up to get the post-breakup buff smart ngl,” the user commented. When Pereira does fight again, it would be interesting to see whether the breakup really motivates him. 

The next user speculated that Pereira is the one who broke up with Cortez. “She was asking for marriage, you really think she broke up with him,” the user asked. 

Some fans also hope to see if this breakup will bring about a new era for Pereira. How do you feel about it?