Alex Pereira’s fists have made him one of the UFC’s deadliest champions. But beyond the knockouts, the Brazilian is also a father of two boys. His sons, Alessandro and Lohan, have grown up in the spotlight, sometimes even finding themselves at the center of his rivalries.
As Pereira gears up for a rematch with Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 on October 4, fans are asking new questions. Who are his kids? Who is their mother? And why did Israel Adesanya once target them after a fight? Let’s piece the story together.
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Alessandro Vidal Silva
Planning to follow in the footsteps of his champion father, Alessandro Vidal Silva has his goal set on joining the UFC and becoming a͏ champion himself. Alex Pereira has been training his͏ kids to become fighters in the future, and they are already making him proud at such an ͏early age.͏ While having a conversation with the media, ‘Poatan’ asserted that he has been training his boys to be champions.
“They are improving. They are dedicated. I’m strict with them, but not so much; they know what they have to do, and they are doing fine. I think they are at a very good age, and they aren’t being forced. They do it because they want it. They are always training. Their vacation started this week. So, I was training morning and night. Then I told them to rest this morning, so they could spar better today,” said Alex Pereira during an interview.
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Down in the same conversation, Alessandro emphasized that he will be a champion in the UFC. “It was good, but I’m already 100%,” said Alessandro after an intense sparring session. He further added, “I want to fight at UFC 400 & I want to be a UFC champ… Chama.” The apple has not fallen too far from the tree there. So, what about his brother?
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Lohan Vidal Silva
Like his brother, Lohan has also been spotted training under their father’s guidance. While less outspoken than Alessandro, he too has been on the mats, sharpening his skills from a young age.
The pair often appear with Pereira at events, cheering him on cage-side. Their bond with their father is clear, whether in the gym or celebrating victories together. But for all the pride Pereira takes in his sons, one detail about them continues to puzzle fans — who is their mother?
All about the mother of Alex Pereira’s kids
Alex Pereira is now one of the biggest names in the UFC. Only the avid followers might be aware of his pre-UFC career and life. However, when most of the UFC audiences started taking an interest in him, they got to know that Pereira has two sons. So with whom did he have his children? Was it his ex-girlfriend, Merle?
No. Pereira had his two sons with his ex-wife, whose identity remains unknown to this day. Both of Alex Pereira’s sons look like they are in the early years of their adolescence. Reportedly, his eldest is in his teenage years.
Yet this secrecy hasn’t stopped his sons from being part of MMA storylines. In fact, one of the most dramatic moments of UFC history involved them directly.
What happened between Alex Pereira’s kids and Israel Adesanya?
Well, it’s quite evident that no son would ever want to witness their father getting knocked out cold. But Israel Adesanya made Pereira’s sons witnessed his defeat at UFC 287. Just when most in the combat sports community started to believe that Adesanya could never get the better of Pereira, the Nigerian-born Kiwi silenced everyone at UFC 287.
In their rematch for the UFC Middleweight Championship, Adesanya baited Pereira to rush on him for a finish in the second round. The initial seconds looked exactly like ‘Poatan’s’ previous victory over Adesanya. ‘The Last Stylebender’ changed things around completely this time. He landed a duet of jab-hook combinations and sent Pereira crashing down to the canvas.
Although the UFC cameras only caught a single glimpse of Poatan’s family, a lot of other sources showcased his sons in tears after his loss. Merle was also seen consoling them. However, it was Alessandro Vidal, who looked devastated and cried severely after his father’s loss. Even though many fans consider Adesanya’s post-fight antics to be petty, some would also say he would have never committed to it if he wasn’t mocked in the first place.
Back when both Adesanya and Pereira fought for ‘Glory’ kickboxing, they had two clashes where ‘Poatan’ emerged victorious. But, in their sophomore bout, Pereira’s son, a 7-year-old Alessandro Vidal Silva, made his way into the ring and imitated how Adesanya got knocked out by his father, right beside him, as we’ve mentioned earlier. Apparently, ‘Izzy’ took it personally and vowed to return it someday.
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Well, the Nigerian-New Zealander chose to have his revenge after his UFC 287 victory. He spotted Alessandro and pointed to him from inside the Octagon and imitated the crash to the canvas that his father had experienced a few minutes prior. This was a move that earned Adesanya quite some criticism as well. But he had his own justification for it. ‘Izzy’ stated that Pereira’s son shouldn’t have gotten inside the ring where he and his father were settling their business as adults.