Alex Pereira fires back at MMA fans

It didn’t take long for Alex Pereira to announce himself to the MMA world and become an overnight star. However, that shine is beginning to fade.

The phenom had a respectable following before making the move from kickboxing to mixed martial arts. His biggest claim to fame: the man who beat global sensation Israel Adesanya. But once he established himself in the cage and was called upon by the UFC, he didn’t miss a step. A dominant run to the title, followed by a shocking comeback win against his old foe Adesanya, shot Pereira into superstardom.

Fans from across the world tuned in to see him fight, expecting a knockout victory. Alongside a handful of other champions, Alex Pereira rightfully became a household name and one of the biggest figures in the UFC’s modern era. But one loss to Ciryl Gane is threatening to damage the reputation he built.

In the aftermath of UFC Freedom 250, Pereira was upset with the officiating. He advocated for referee Herb Dean to retire and published several videos and complaints on social media about the fact. The protests backfired, with many fans and fellow fighters tired of listening to his excuses. Take the loss on the chin and bounce back is the common verdict among supporters. But Alex Pereira doesn’t value their opinion, saying:

“There are good parts and bad parts, but I’m handling it well. I manage to attend to my fans. Well, not everyone, obviously, but I do what I can because, honestly, the people criticizing me for things I say aren’t my real fans. They can stop following me; I don’t care.”

Pereira continued:

“They should have stopped following me a long time ago. When I do look, I’m deleting and blocking everyone. I don’t change who I am. I’ve always answered people when they talk crap; I’ve always responded, and I’m not going to stop.”

Listen to Alex Pereira’s response to fans and more in the video below.