Alex Pereira doesn’t need words to make an impact. His fists do the talking. The UFC light heavyweight champion has captivated fans with his knockout power and stone-faced demeanor. But there’s always been one mystery: his language skills. Since breaking into the UFC, Pereira has mostly spoken Portuguese, relying on translators in interviews.
But is that the only language he knows? Recently, clips have surfaced showing Pereira speaking English. Not fluently, but enough to surprise those who assumed he didn’t understand a word. With a UFC 320 rematch against Magomed Ankalaev just around the corner, many are curious: can Pereira finally talk his talk as well as he walks the walk?
Does Alex Pereira speak English?
When Pereira first entered the UFC, English seemed like a mountain too high to climb. He openly admitted in 2024, “I know I don’t. I don’t speak English. For me, it’s very difficult.” It wasn’t humility, it was honesty. For a fighter who grew up in the favelas of Brazil, mastering a new language while conquering two UFC divisions was no small feat. But in 2023, Pereira revealed his unconventional approach to picking up the language. Instead of hiring a tutor, he decided to learn from none other than Sean Strickland, one of the UFC’s most outspoken and controversial figures.
During an appearance on ‘The MMA Hour’ with Ariel Helwani, the light heavyweight champion revealed, “Sean Strickland’s coming to Connecticut next week for one week to train with me for his next fight. I’m going to learn English with Sean Strickland.”
Strickland isn’t exactly known for his oratory skills, but ‘Poatan’ saw past the brash persona. He stated, “He’s a bit crazy, but he’s a nice guy. He talks against people, but he always treats me with respect.”
It was a bold strategy, learning English from one of the most unfiltered fighters in the UFC. Then came an unexpected moment in 2025 that had fans and fighters alike raising their eyebrows. While in Las Vegas ahead of UFC 313, Pereira ran into former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. The two shared a brief exchange, with Usman asking if Pereira had been practicing English. The question was translated into Portuguese by Pereira’s coach.
But instead of answering in his native tongue, the champ surprised everyone by responding in English, stating, “If you speak slow, I understand; if you speak fast, for me, it’s difficult.”
‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ was taken aback as he laughed and jokingly warned, “Don’t ever let them know you speak English like this.”
So, is Alex Pereira fluent in English? Not yet. But he’s proving that he’s more than just a knockout artist; he’s a student of the game, both inside and outside the Octagon. He might not be delivering long speeches anytime soon, but if you slow things down, he’ll understand. And in the fight game, sometimes that’s all you need.
Which other languages does Alex Pereira know?
To understand Pereira’s language journey, you have to start where it all began, Brazil. Portuguese is his mother tongue, the language of his people, and his culture. It’s how he connects to fans back home, to his Indigenous Pataxo heritage, and to the fighting spirit that built his legacy.
English, however, is a new territory. Unlike many international fighters who hire tutors, Pereira’s approach has been raw and self-taught. As mentioned earlier, his partnership with Strickland may have started as a training camp, but it’s clear it turned into a crash course in everyday English.
The light heavyweight champion has also picked up bits of Spanish through his global career in kickboxing and MMA, especially from his fights across Latin America. Still, his comfort zone remains Portuguese. But outside it, we’re starting to hear a new voice, one learning, growing, and connecting with the MMA sphere with glimpses of English as well!