The Pataxó people of Brazil are proud to be represented by UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira, who uses his platform to bring visibility and respect to the indigenous community, according to the tribe’s leader Ubiranan.
The Pataxó tribe holds their heads high, their pride embodied in UFC fighter, Alex Pereira.
Pereira, a native of Bahia, Brazil, is the reigning 205-pound UFC middleweight champion. He’s a beacon of hope for the Pataxó people, having brought the UFC belt back to them after a knockout victory over Israel Adesanya.
Now, he’s set to headline one of MMA’s most historic events. He’ll be squaring off against Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 in Las Vegas this Saturday.
Ubiranan, the leader of the Pataxó tribe, has a special connection with Pereira. He’s the one who customizes the panache Pereira wears during ceremonial weigh-ins and before his fights. In a chat with MMA Fighting, he revealed that Pereira’s success in the ring brings hope to the indigenous people.
“His fights give us visibility and respect,” Ubiranan shared. “He’s chosen to represent us, the Pataxó people, because we were the first to face the Portuguese in 1500. We’ve fought many battles, and now we fight to preserve our ethnicity.”
Ubiranan first met Pereira, nicknamed ‘Poatan’, in 2014. Pereira’s first coach, Belocqua Wera, had brought him to Bahia. During this visit, Pereira expressed his desire to support the indigenous community through his fights.
Ubiranan is the son of the first chieftain of the Pataxó of Siratã Mantxó. His father, a 90-year-old warrior, continues to guide the tribe. Fighting is an integral part of Pataxó culture, and Ubiranan hopes to introduce more forms of martial arts into their daily life.
“We teach capoeira to the kids, and we also have Patxiumilkay,” Ubiranan explained. Patxiumilkay is a traditional Pataxó fight where the goal is to take down your opponent by catching his leg and dominating from the top position.
April is Indigenous Resistance Month in Brazil. It’s fitting that Pereira gets to carry the indigenous panache with him to the biggest stage of MMA.
“When we met, I told him he would become world champion, and the whole country would know him,” Ubiranan recalled. “He has the support of every indigenous. We are more than 300 indigenous groups and almost a million indigenous men and women. Every tribe knows him.”
Ubiranan believes Pereira will continue to shine. He’s confident that Pereira can become a heavyweight champion too.
The Pataxó chieftain revealed that the tribe is praying for Pereira’s success at UFC 300. They’re confident he’ll emerge victorious.
“We knew he was going to lose [the Adesanya rematch] because we saw in our spiritual vision,” Ubiranan confessed. “Sometimes we see things many people don’t give any value. I wrote him a message, but my cousin told me not to say anything because he was focused. But I told him afterward that we had seen that something very strong would happen.”
Ubiranan notices that Pereira is “very dedicated now.” He’s praying for the past and seeking spiritual guidance ahead of the Jamahal Hill fight. He believes “Poatan” — a word that means “Hands of Stone” in the Paraxó language — will come out victorious on April 13.
“Sometimes his hands are too low, but his fists are one of a kind – he really is a warrior,” Ubiranan said. “We believe he will win, absolutely. The opponent is very strong. [Pereira] has to go for it. Winning is the goal, and ‘Poatan’ knows the strategy. When he lands the first strike, Jamahal won’t be able to take it. The first attack must come from him. [Hill] will feel it, and then he will crumble.”