Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

Kamaru Usman-Alex Pereira Share a Connection That Is Embarrassing for One of Them!

Alex Pereira had a tremendous journey in the UFC as he became a double champion since Kamaru Usman's last win!

Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

MMA timeline creates fascinating parallel stories that seem almost too perfect to be real. While one superstar’s reign comes to an end, another’s meteoric rise begins in the most unexpected way. This is exactly what happened when Kamaru Usman scored his last victory at UFC 268 in November 2021, defeating Colby Covington in their highly anticipated rematch.

That same night, on the same card, a relatively unknown (in the UFC) Brazilian kickboxer named Alex Pereira made his octagon debut against Andreas Michailidis. Nobody could have predicted that as Usman’s championship dominance was about to crumble, Pereira would embark on one of the most spectacular runs in UFC history.

Usman had just defended his welterweight title for the fifth time, cementing his legacy as one of the greatest champions in the division’s history. Meanwhile, Pereira was taking his first steps into mixed martial arts’ biggest stage, carrying nothing but his devastating striking skills and an unfinished business with Israel Adesanya from their kickboxing days.

What followed over the next three years would be a complete role reversal. Usman would suffer three consecutive losses while Pereira would capture two different championship belts and become the sport’s most feared knockout artist.

Alex Pereira’s Pereira’s Meteoric Rise From Debut To Double Champion

His debut against Andreas Michailidis lasted just 18 seconds into the second round, ending with a flying knee that left no doubt about his finishing ability. That debut performance served as a warning shot to the entire division, though few realized they were witnessing the birth of a future champion.

Inked and official! 🖋️

Former GLORY Champion Alex Pereira has signed his UFC contract today. He takes on Andreas Michailidis on November, 6th at UFC 268. pic.twitter.com/ZS5GyAnyu7
— Beyond Kickboxing (@Beyond_Kick) September 8, 2021

Pereira fought Bruno Silva in March 2022 with the fight going to decision. He then demolished Sean Strickland with brutal punches in the first round at UFC 276, earning a shot at his old kickboxing rival Israel Adesanya. Their UFC 281 encounter became instant classic material, with Pereira surviving early adversity to score a dramatic fifth-round knockout that shocked the world. The Brazilian had dethroned one of the sport’s most dominant champions in spectacular fashion.

Alex Pereira knocks out Israel Adesanya.

Izzy was out on his feet.#UFC281 pic.twitter.com/XQNFnzngJv
— GreenMan (@GreenManTalks) November 13, 2022

The rematch at UFC 287 in April 2023 saw him lose his title to Israel Adesanya. But this didn’t put him down. Instead of staying at 185 pounds to chase another title shot, he moved up to light heavyweight for a fresh challenge. Initially, he fought Jan Blachowicz. The fight ended in a Split decision.

Alex Pereira KNOCKED OUT Jiri Prochazka. with a Headkick he never saw coming. It is so perfectly timed, fast and VICIOUS you have to watch it at least 10 times to truly appreciate it. pic.twitter.com/b3Q4oGQ7vN
— Robert Griffin III (@RGIII) June 30, 2024

This angle of Alex Pereira KO’ing Jamahal Hill 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/rMD3AcEdiH
— 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙤💫 (@sinoUFC) June 15, 2024

His next fight would see him contest for the vacant light heavyweight title. He knocked out Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295 to capture his second UFC title. His subsequent title defenses against Jamahal Hill, Prochazka again, and Khalil Rountree Jr. established him as arguably the most dangerous striker in the sport. Recently, he lost his title against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313. Now, he is awaiting a rematch with the Dagestani.

The numbers tell the story of Pereira’s incredible finishing rate. Since his debut on the same night as Usman’s last victory, he has scored 7 knockouts in his 9 UFC wins. He has fought a total of 11 times since Usman last won a fight!

Kamaru Usman Hasn’t Won A Fight Since Pereira made his UFC Debut!

While Pereira was collecting championships, Usman’s career took a dramatic turn in the opposite direction. The man who once seemed invincible at welterweight has lost three straight fights since his November 2021 victory over Covington.

Leon Edwards ended his championship reign with a stunning head kick knockout at UFC 278, then outpointed him in their trilogy fight at UFC 286. Most recently, Khamzat Chimaev dominated him via majority decision at UFC 294, raising serious questions about Usman’s future in the sport.

If not for this head kick, Kamaru Usman would have tied the longest win streak in UFC history that night (16) pic.twitter.com/G8zVnHJg6r
— MMA On Point (@OnPointMMA) June 13, 2025

This weekend at UFC Atlanta, Usman faces Joaquin Buckley in what many consider a make-or-break fight for his championship aspirations. Buckley represents the new generation of welterweight contenders. The former champion needs to show that he can still compete with elite-level opposition if he wants to work his way back toward another title shot.

The parallel stories of Pereira and Usman perfectly capture the unpredictable nature of MMA careers. One night can change everything, and the sport’s unforgiving nature means that yesterday’s champion can quickly become today’s gatekeeper. Whether Usman can reverse his fortunes remains to be seen, but Pereira’s incredible journey since that shared night at UFC 268 proves that in this sport, anything is possible!

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

Alex Pereira

Kamaru Usman

Zaid Quraishi

mma

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!