How much pain would you endure for a purpose? For former UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira, the answer seems to be: as much as it takes. But even warriors like Pereira draw strength from somewhere and someone else. And recently, he decided to spotlight that person not with fight footage or flashy accolades, but with a story shared straight from the soul.
On his Instagram story, Pereira featured a clip that wasn’t about belts or bonuses. It was about a mindset. The man speaking? Former UFC light heavyweight champion, Glover Teixeira. A man who etched his name in the record books by becoming the second oldest UFC champion in UFC history, and also holds the record for most finishes in the 205 lbs. division.
In the video Pereira posted, Teixeira was deep in reflection, describing a moment when his body gave out but his will refused to as he stated, “It didn’t include zero when he say he donate $10,000. It didn’t include zero. My mom was there…. She helped me and they come in ambulance, take me to the hospital, IV me. My blood pressure was super low, IV and everything.”
While it’s hard to tell the origins of the story, the anecdote seemingly comes from one of Teixeira’s infamous gym sessions where he reportedly pushed himself to dangerous limits. Yet, for him, it wasn’t recklessness, it was a necessity. Why?
He continued, “If I don’t do it, I’ll die. This is the way I think. If I’m not doing 11, this is the pace I’m going to have. It’s 500. Okay. How long? Three minutes. Can you do it? You ask me in the first ten seconds. I say no. I’m gonna go 400. Now I put that 400 in the first ten seconds. Four hundred. Three minutes here. Not under.”
Glover Teixeira, Brasilien, kampsportare MMA, 2017-03-29 c IVARSSON JERKER / Aftonbladet / IBL Bildbyra * * * EXPRESSEN OUT * * * AFTONBLADET / 2826 Stockholm Sverige kampsport x2512x *** Glover Teixeira, Brazil, martial artist MMA, 2017 03 29 c IVARSSON JERKER Aftonbladet IBL Bildbyra EXPRESSEN OUT AFTONBLADET 2826 Stockholm Sweden martial arts x2512x PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxDENxNORxSWExFIN Copyright: xJerkerxIvarsson/Aftonbladet/TTx Inför matchen mellan The Mauler och Glover Teixeira
The sweat covering the mats while Teixeira is talking in the video is a testament to this mindset. One that led him to a UFC title when most people had written him off. That’s the kind of message he drills into Pereira, into the young fighters walking through the doors of Teixeira MMA & Fitness. The idea that discomfort isn’t the finish line, it’s the warm-up. You keep going not because it’s easy, but because it defines who you are.
And perhaps that’s why Alex Pereira, a silent storm in the cage, treats Glover Texeira not just as a coach, but a compass. Their bond was born in 2020 when Pereira first came to Teixeira’s gym in Connecticut to help prepare for a bout against Thiago Santos. What began as a simple training session became a brotherhood rooted in trust, toughness, and, surprisingly, old Brazilian country music!
Alex Pereira and Glover Teixeira’s bond started over barbecue and “green tomatoes.”
When Alex Pereira first stepped into Glover Teixeira’s world in late 2020, it wasn’t inside an Octagon, it was inside a quiet backyard in Connecticut. So, what brought the silent assassin to this sleepy town? As mentioned above, it was to help Teixeira prepare for his fight against Thiago Santos. Back then, ‘Poatan’ was still unknown in the world of MMA, as it would still be some time before he traded his kickboxing gear for MMA gloves.
The connection that brought them together? Jorge Guimaraes, Teixeira’s longtime friend and the man who once managed Anderson Silva at the legendary Black House. In an interview, Teixeira revealed, “I have a garden, and I had told Jorge, ‘You know how I am, I don’t want one of those guys who’s too fancy, go into restaurants saying, no, no, this restaurant is not good enough for me.’ I told him, ‘You know me, I’m simple.’ Then Alex comes, and he’s immediately inside my garden, looking at the vegetables, eating green tomatoes, talking.”
Then came the barbecue invite. And ‘Poatan’ did something that shocked Teixeira and planted the seeds of their friendship. The UFC veteran revealed that he was playing “old Brazilian country music” that not a lot of people appreciated! But Pereira? “And I hear Alex say, ‘Oh man, that one’s good!’ He likes my music? Right away I knew, ‘I like this guy.’”
What followed was more than just good meals and campfire tunes. It was the beginning of a brotherhood. Fans might have seen the videos on social media of the two light heavyweight titans wrestling in snowbanks, grilling meat, joking around, and training like brothers.
In the end, Glover Teixeira isn’t just a coach, he’s the soul of a system. A man who once pushed himself to the brink in silence, now guiding others with that same fire. Do you think he’ll be able to guide Alex Pereira back to the light-heavyweight throne once more? Why or why not? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
The post “If I Don’t Do It, I Die”: Alex Pereira’s Ex-UFC Champ-Turned-Coach Shares Personal Anecdote to Inspire Youth in Their Gym appeared first on EssentiallySports.
