Aline Pereira secured her first professional MMA win at LFA 160.
Alex Pereira took over the UFC middleweight division by defeating Israel Adesanya in his eighth professional MMA fight. The 35-year-old Brazilian might not be the only family member to become a UFC champion when it’s all said and done, as his sister, Aline, is a female fighter to watch at 125 pounds.
Aline started her fighting career as a kickboxer, leading to a 6-2 record with three bouts under the Glory kickboxing banner. After failing to become the Glory super bantamweight champion, Pereira made her MMA debut in December 2022. Despite showcasing a valiant effort, she lost against Helen Peralta, who competed on The Ultimate Fighter Season 30, by unanimous decision.
It should be noted that her brother, ‘Poatan,’ also lost his first MMA fight.
On Friday, June 16, Pereira returned for her second MMA fight during the main card of LFA 160. The 32-year-old was matched up against Chelsea Conner, who held a 1-2 record before the bout. She showcased her high-level striking skills against Conner for fifteen minutes, leading to a unanimous decision win.
Pereira’s striking looked phenomenal at LFA 160, but she still has some work to do before fighting for a top-tier promotion. The former Glory kickboxer has shown a slight weakness in the grappling department, which is expected due to her background. Luckily, the 32-year-old continues to evolve alongside her brother at Teixeira MMA & Fitness.
When will Aline Pereira fight in a top-tier promotion?
It’s difficult to predict when a fighter will reach the UFC or another top-tier promotion. With that said, Aline Pereira has several advantages that will help while progressing in the tricky fighting business. The primary factors benefiting Pereira are her fan-friendly fighting style, resemblances to Alex Pereira, and the constant need for potential women’s flyweight contenders.
Aline could find herself in the big show with a few more wins, possibly two or three. Although their credentials are slightly different, ‘Poatan’ signed with the UFC after establishing a 3-1 MMA record. In the meantime, she will focus on one fight at a time.
Meanwhile, ‘Poatan’ will start a new chapter of his fighting career on July 29. The former UFC middleweight champion is moving up to the light heavyweight division after being dethroned by Israel Adesanya in April. He has been matched up against Jan Blachowicz for the UFC 291 co-main event, which goes down inside the Vivint Arena in Salt Lake City, Utah.
