Since making his UFC debut in November 2021, Alex Pereira has quickly become a two-division champ, and accordingly, one of the promotion’s biggest stars. Despite not speaking English, he’s captivated the fans with his stoic personality, consistency, and fighting style.
Most recently, Pereira did the unthinkable by defending his light heavyweight championship against Jiří Procházka on short notice, to save UFC 303. This is an even more impressive feat considering he headlined UFC 300 just a couple of months prior.
Pereira’s influence can be judged by the massive popularization of his nickname ‘Poatan’ and the catchphrase ‘chama’. Here’s what these terms mean, to help you understand your favorite UFC fighter better…
What Does Alex Pereira Mean By Chama?
Following his UFC 303, Pereira was asked about the meaning of ‘chama’ by Joe Rogan. Here’s what he said according to the UFC’s translator:
“It could be anything. Positive or negative, you know. You can say, hey, let’s go to the gym [happily] and I say, chama! Or I could say, let’s go to the gym [reluctantly], and I say, man, chama! So, it could mean a lot of things.”
A more reasonable explanation from the UFC light heavyweight champion came in an episode of The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, though. Translated by his coach, here’s how Pereira described the term ‘chama’:
“So, chama is like, let’s go. He says, like, you know how Shannon Briggs created Lets Go Champ. Our mantra, the literal translation for chama in Portuguese means to call chama, somebody or also flame, right? But to chama, like, let’s go, come with me, follow us, let’s do it.”
So, it is safe to assume that Pereira means to call upon his fans and inspire them when he uses the phrase.
Why Is Alex Pereira Called ‘Poatan’?
Although Pereira is commonly called ‘Poatan’, his nickname is a combination of two words – Po and Atan. In the native Tupi language of Brazil, Po translates to hands and Atan refers to something hard like stones. So, ‘Poatan’ means stone hands which is undeniably a great nickname for someone with explosive knockout power.
Glory Kickboxing, the promotion where Pereira achieved early success and became a double champ, also revealed why he picked ‘Poatan’ as his nickname. As per the UFC star, he cherishes being a 100% native Brazilian and learning Tupi brought him close to his roots and heritage.
For now, fans worldwide are eagerly waiting for Pereira’s next fight in the UFC. Should he defend his light heavyweight title against Magomed Ankalaev or aim for a super fight against heavyweights Jon Jones and Tom Aspinall?
