Oct 5, 2024; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Alex Pereira (red gloves) before a light heavyweight title bout against Khalil Rountree Jr. (not pictured) during UFC 307 at Delta Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images

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Alex Pereira Wants To Share His Fighter Of The Year Award With This Champion!

Alex Pereira plans to share his Fighter of the Year award with this champion, honoring his incredible achievements!

Sharing isn’t exactly common among MMA fighters, as they usually want all the glory. But sometimes, even the scariest fighters show their softer side. Alex Pereira, the man known for his devastating knockout power and stone-cold demeanor, just did something pretty cool.

He revealed that he wanted to share his 2024 Fighter of the Year award with featherweight champion Ilia Topuria. This is particularly interesting because Pereira himself had an incredible year, successfully defending his light heavyweight title three times and becoming one of the most dominant champions in recent UFC history.

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Alex Pereira’s Comments On Sharing His Accomplishment With Ilia Topuria

Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Alex Pereira praised Topuria’s achievements and impact on the sport. He acknowledged that both of them had outstanding years and deserved recognition. This kind of sportsmanship is refreshing in a sport where trash talk often takes center stage.

“I will share this [ FOTY 2024 award] with him because he’s also done great things and he is a great guy who brings a lot of joy to people, so he deserves the award too… We both are the best fighters of 2024.”

Alex Pereira is willing to share his 2024 Fighter of the Year award with Ilia Topuria 🤝

“I will share this [award] with him because he’s also done great things…

We both are the best fighters of 2024.”

🎥 @arielhelwani #UFC #MMA pic.twitter.com/7Aook7uU37
— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) January 27, 2025

Pereira’s gesture becomes even more meaningful when fans look at both fighters’ journeys. The Brazilian powerhouse has come a long way from his kickboxing days, where he famously defeated Israel Adesanya twice. After moving to MMA, Alex Pereira quickly climbed the ranks and became a two-division champion. Now he’s making waves at light heavyweight. His 2024 fight calender saw him knocking out Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree.

Meanwhile, Ilia Topuria had his own stellar 2024, knocking out two legends of the sport. He defeated Alexander Volkanovski back at UFC 298 to get the featherweight title. His first title defense was against the durable Max Holloway at UFC 308. But even the Hawaiin’s crazy durability did not stand a chance against ‘El Matador’s’ power. The Spanish fighter didn’t just win; he dominated these fights in spectacular fashion, proving he is more than just talk.

The Champions’ Background And Future

Looking ahead, both Pereira and Topuria have huge opportunities in front of them. Alex Pereira, if he manages to defeat Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313, could make history by moving up to heavyweight. As for Ilia Topuria, he might jump to lightweight for new challenges and a chance to become a double champion.

Both these fighters came from different backgrounds to reach the top. Alex Pereira was a tire shop worker before becoming a professional fighter, while Topuria started training in martial arts as a kid in Georgia before moving to Spain. Their different paths leading to shared success in 2024 makes Pereira’s gesture even more meaningful. It’s a reminder that there is still room for shared glory and mutual respect in a sport where you are locked alone with your opponent!

(Image Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie – Imagn Images)

Alex Pereira

Ilia Topuria

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!