Alex Pereira continues preparing for his heavyweight debut and remains fast with his hands according to new training footage. The UFC visited his gym to record material for the countdown show ahead of the White House event. Pereira is making the move up to heavyweight after dominating the light heavyweight division. The footage showcases that his hand speed has not diminished despite the weight gain. The UFC is heavily promoting his heavyweight debut with behind-the-scenes content.
UFC cameras visited Alex Pereira's gym this week to capture training footage ahead of the promotion's White House event, and the footage offers an early look at the Brazilian knockout artist preparing for a move into the heavyweight division.
Pereira, 38, enters this chapter of his career as the reigning light heavyweight champion, carrying a 13-4 record built largely on his exceptional striking. Standing six-foot-four with a 79-inch reach, the Teixeira MMA and Fitness product has operated at the top of the 205-pound division with a striking accuracy of 62 percent and a significant strike output of 5.16 per minute — numbers that rank among the most efficient in the division. The footage emerging from UFC's countdown production suggests that the added bodyweight required for his heavyweight debut has done nothing to slow his hands.
The UFC is clearly invested in building the moment around his divisional step-up, sending a production crew to document the camp as part of a broader promotional push tied to the White House card.
Why it matters
- Pereira is moving up from light heavyweight, where he holds championship status, making this a rare instance of a reigning champion campaigning at a higher weight class
- His hand speed and striking volume have defined his rise, so the training footage directly addresses whether those tools carry over to heavyweight
- The UFC's countdown show investment signals the promotion views this debut as a marquee attraction for the event
