Alex Pereira is set to defend his title for the first time in a highly anticipated rematch against Israel Adesanya at UFC 287.
The card has created a buzz in the MMA community, and the champion recently made an appearance on media day to discuss the upcoming bout. However, the highlight of the event came in the form of a prank pulled by his mentor, Glover Teixeira.
Dubbed as ‘Poatan,’ Pereira has been on a remarkable run since his debut in the UFC in 2021. With four consecutive victories, he has established himself as a serious star in the middleweight division. Moreover, he clinched the title within just over a year of his promotional debut.
Teixeira, a UFC legend himself, surprised the champion during the media day by sneaking up on him while he was getting his makeup done.
Pereira’s eyes were closed, and Teixeira, borrowing the stippling brush from the stylist, started applying some makeup of his own. As someone pointed out that Teixeira missed a spot, Pereira opened his eyes and was startled by the prank.
Teixeira took to Instagram to share a video clip of the prank, and fans flooded the comments section with their reactions. They were amused by the prank and were happy to see the lighter side of the usually stoic Pereira. Some fans even drew parallels between Teixeira and Pereira’s relationship and that of Khabib Nurmagomedov and Daniel Cormier.
Several UFC stars also commented on the post, including Belal Muhammad, Wellington Turman, and Ashlee Evans-Smith. Their reactions showed that they appreciated the playful banter between the two.
