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What Does Poatan Mean? All You Need to Know about Alex Pereira’s Nickname
Exploring the meaning and other details about Alex Pereira’s famous moniker ‘Poatan’. Read on to learn some interesting facts!
Alex Pereira’s famous nickname ‘Poatan’ has a literal translation of stone hands. The current UFC light heavyweight champion was given the nickname by his first kickboxing coach Belocqua Vera.
The moniker is a tribute to Pereira’s ancestry. His grandparents had a Pataxo origin and Sao Paulo native Vera gave Pereira the nickname as a sign of respect for his roots. Poatan is a combination of two words in Pereira’s native Tupi language.
What does Alex Pereira’s nickname Poatan mean?
In the Tupi language, Po means hands and Atan means stones. Poatan translates to stone hands, which is a good explanation of Pereira’s devastating knockout power.
The left hook tends to be Pereira’s best money-making shot and he has some Peebles and rocks tattooed on his left fist as well.
In a 2022 interview with Brazilian outlet UOL Esporte, Pereira explained how the nickname came about. Pereira explained that his coach Vera was happy with the way he carried his heritage.
Pereira said, "When I told him [Belocqua], he was super happy and said: 'His strength, his appearance, everything indicated that he had something linked to indigenous culture.'...”
The UFC champ added, “We worked on it and he gave us this nickname: Poatan. It would be a strong hand, that's how I explain it to everyone. Some people say stone hand, I actually got it tattooed on my hand."
Pereira is often respectful of his tribal roots and walks out in a trotting manner before firing bows and arrows before his fights. He uses the famous Itsari song by Sepulura as his walkout song.
Alex Pereira’s left hook has devastating consequences
Alex Pereira is one of the most fearsome knockout artists in the UFC. He has earned six finishes in his eight wins in the promotion. Pereira’s left hook has become one of the most formidable weapons in all of MMA.
In most of his fights, he has shown that a clean land of that particular shot can change any fight on its head. He has been known for his devastating left hook since his Glory Kickboxing days, where he sent many world-class opponents to other orbits.
The shot has served him well in the UFC as well. Sean Strickland, Israel Adesanya, Jiri Prochazka, and Jamahal Hill have all felt the wrath of Alex Pereira’s special power.
Also Read: Alex Pereira Fires Back at Last Kickboxing Opponent Who Beat Him Over Recent Comments
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