The Pataxó people are proud to be represented by Alex Pereira in the UFC.
Pereira, who flew to Bahia, Brazil, to take the UFC middleweight belt to the Pataxó people after knocking out Israel Adesanya, is now the 205-pound titleholder. He headlines one of MMA’s most historic events, battling Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Ubiranan, leader of the Pataxó people of the Siratã Mantxó reservation, customized the panache Pereira wears during ceremonial weigh-ins and prior to his fights. In an interview with MMA Fighting, he said the MMA star is bringing hope to the indigenous people.
“We gain visibility and respect with his fights,” Ubiranan said. “He has indigenous roots and has chosen to represent the Pataxó people, because we were the first to face the Portuguese [in 1500]. We’ve had so many battles, and now we battle to preserve what’s left of our ethnicity.”
Ubiranan met ‘Poatan’ in 2014, when Pereira’s first coach Belocqua Wera took him to Bahia. Ubiranan introduced the kickboxer to the tribe and said Pereira revealed his goal to help the indigenous community through his fights.
Ubiranan is the son of the first chieftain of the Pataxó of Siratã Mantxó, “a great 90-year-old warrior” who continues to guide the people alongside his successors. Fighting is an intrinsic value in the Pataxó culture, and Ubiranan wants to add other forms of martial arts to their daily life.
“We teach capoeira to the kids, and we also have Patxiumilkay,” said Ubiranan, referring to a traditional Pataxó fight where the goal is to take your opponent down by catching his leg and dominating from top position. “‘Poatan’ and I fought, and he did well. After that, he faced and beat everyone from the village.”
April is the Indigenous Resistance Month in Brazil, and it’s almost fitting 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 said. “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.
“He’s in the United States now, but we’re always in touch, sending him good energy and praying he continues to shine. He’s always going to be a great champion. Middleweight, light heavyweight, and I believe he can become heavyweight champion, too.”
The Pataxó chieftain said the whole tribe is praying for Pereira’s success at UFC 300, and they are confident he will come out victorious.
“We knew he was going to lose [the Adesanya rematch] because we saw in our spiritual vision,” Ubiranan said. “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 said he notices Pereira is “very dedicated now,” and though he’s still praying for the past asking for 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.”
