Alex Pereira arrived in the UFC already established as one of the most feared strikers in combat sports — a decorated kickboxing champion who translated his stand-up prowess into two-division UFC gold. Alongside that dominant striking career, however, Pereira committed to a genuine development of his grappling game, a journey that reached a landmark moment on April 13, 2024, when he was promoted to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt following his knockout of Jamahal Hill in the main event of UFC 300.
The promotion carried real symbolic weight. Rather than advancing through a conventional academic progression on the mats, Pereira earned the recognition in the context of a landmark competitive performance — a detail that reflects the intersection of his fighting identity and his commitment to martial arts growth. Central to that growth has been the mentorship of Glover Teixeira, the former UFC light heavyweight champion whose grappling credentials are well established. Teixeira has played an instrumental role in guiding Pereira's technical development on the ground, providing both the expertise and the competitive environment required to elevate a world-class striker's grappling to black belt standard.
Pereira's investment in grappling extends well beyond structured training sessions. He incorporates gi training into his regular regimen and has been known to engage in informal grappling sessions with his sons during the Christmas period — a detail that illustrates how deeply the discipline has become woven into his lifestyle, rather than remaining a purely strategic necessity.