New York jeweler confesses $40K loss to Alex Pereira after counting UFC superstar out
Weeks before his title defense, UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira arrived in the US and met with a New York-based jeweler.

Alex Pereira meets a New York based jeweler (Image via Bloody Elbow/X)
Alex Pereira is the current UFC light heavyweight champion. The Brazilian MMA fighter also enjoys significant popularity within the UFC community. Over the years, he has had several notable interactions with fans. Recently, the light heavyweight champion captured the attention of the UFC community with another fan moment.
Alex ‘Poatan’ Pereira is scheduled to face Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313. While Pereira drew attention from many prominent individuals in the UFC during his time in Australia, he arrived in the US weeks before his fight. Amid his training preparations, Poatan was recently seen spending time with New York-based jeweler Moses. Interestingly, the jeweler also confessed to Pereira.
His first fight, I had big money on (Israel) Adesanya… I had a lot of money, I had maybe $40,000.
Moses the Jeweller via Twitch livestream
Once the statement was translated, Pereira jumped forward and shared a laugh with the man who had forecasted his defeat. Following that, ‘Poatan’ executed one of his hallmark leg kicks on the Jeweler. Many of his opponents can confirm that although it seems he doesn’t exert much force with the strike, the harm it causes is significant. As anticipated, the landing of the kick was followed by a cry from the man.
Alex Pereira gave him a leg kick after finding out he put $40,000 on Israel Adesanya 🤣 pic.twitter.com/KMwpDiM5FA
— Happy Punch (@HappyPunch) February 19, 2025
Interestingly, Moses wasn’t the only one who bid against Alex Pereira and favored Israel Adesanya at UFC 281. However, the Brazilian fighter seemingly shunned every doubter and dethroned Adesanya with his exceptional striking prowess. In their rematch, Pereira failed to repeat the same result, as the Nigerian-born Kiwi fighter knocked him out cold.
Alex Pereira gives credit to his ‘genetics’ while commenting on his striking prowess
Alex ‘Poatan’ Pereira comes from a kickboxing background. The Brazilian fighter has been honored as a Hall of Famer in Glory Kickboxing. Pereira’s impressive striking ability has been evident since his UFC debut in 2021. Notably, in the majority of his matches in the promotion, Poatan has stunned and knocked out his opponents to achieve victory.

In his most recent fight at UFC 307, Pereira dominated challenger Khalil Rountree while defending his light heavyweight title. Following this, everyone in the UFC community praised the Brazilian MMA fighter’s skill set. As a result, in a recent interview with Australian businessman Mark Bouris, Pereira was asked about the secret behind his striking ability.
Always, even as a child, I had good genetics. I was a very strong kid and of course, with training, I was able to sharpen it [the left hook] up to get better for MMA, kickboxing, for the fights.
Alex Pereira via Mark Bouris on YouTube
Alex Pereira has always been naturally strong, a trait he believes runs in his family. This strength is complemented by the impressive striking ability of his sister, Aline Pereira. As the UFC light heavyweight champion prepares for his upcoming clash, he faces one of his toughest challenges yet. It will be intriguing to see if Poatan can overcome a formidable opponent like Magomed Anakalaev.
Related: Alex Pereira Fight Record: How many defeats does “Poatan” have in his career?