- Alex Pereira shared his journey from being an alcoholic to a UFC champion in a campaign against addiction event
- The Brazilian hopes to serve as an inspiration to the youth struggling with addiction
Alex Pereira is using his story to bring hope for many young people facing challenges in their lives.
Nothing is impossible
Pereira’s younger years were marked by hardship. Growing up in a tough neighborhood, “Poatan” struggled with alcoholism but somehow managed to transform his life through combat sports.
Indeed, Pereira has come a long way from being an alcoholic and he aims to help the youth who are experiencing the same challenges by providing inspiration and mentorship.
“[We’re] Going for a social [event], for kids who are involved in drugs. Everyone knows my story with alcohol. I’m a guy who stopped everything. I think I can help the kids, saying something to them. It’s me, Glover. We’re going to do a training with the kids there. I think it’s going to be cool. Chama!,” Pereira said on his YouTube channel before going to a campaign against addiction event with Glover Teixeira in Connecticut named “Connection Beats Addiction.”
“We always do this type of work. I think it’s very important, to do this in the video. Kids who have problem with drugs. From where I come from, I know how hard it is to deal with the situation for the families, so we are going to try to do something. Talk to the kids, show them the path, I can talk about the sport. The sport saved me from alcohol,” he added. “Today, [I’m a] UFC champion. I always say this: If I didn’t become UFC champion, I will still be champion at life. So, we’re going there to give some strength and I’m sure we will make a difference.”
To make the people feel that they are understood, Pereira opened up a bit about his dark past and how he courageously stopped it.
“Since I was 12 years old, I’ve always had a tendency to drink alcohol,” Pereira said through translation by Glover. “It was very difficult for me. Every year that passed, it was increasing more and more as I go until it reached the point when I decided I have to stop.”
“This change is possible. Sometimes we look and say, ‘No chance, it’s impossible.” But when I got out, where I got to… I can show that it’s possible,” Pereira concluded at the end of the event.
Alex got linked to controversy
Prior to the said event, Pereira got linked to controversies, stemming from accusations of rape and sexual misconduct. A female TikToker named Meredith Brown claimed that “Poatan” was guilty of the allegations during an incident that took place during UFC 302 fight week in New Jersey.
There has been no major progress in the case as of now and Pereira and the UFC have yet to address the issue publicly.
Watch Pereira’s full video below:
