Why does Alex Pereira never smile? Exploring 'Poatan's' stoic demeanor

It's not quite known why Alex Pereira is such a stoic figure.

Since debuting in the UFC in late 2021, the man known as 'Poatan' has quickly become a massive star. A former Glory kickboxing champion, he debuted with a flying knee knockout win over Andreas Michalidis at UFC 268. That was just the first of many finishes for the Brazilian.

In the years since then, Pereira has captured gold in not one, but two different weight classes. His fighting style speaks for itself, having knocked out figures such as Israel Adesanya, Sean Strickland, and Jiri Prochazka.

Pereira's victory over Prochazka saw the Brazilian become UFC light-heavyweight champion in the process. As of now, the fan-favorite is slated to return at UFC 300 later this month, against Jamahal Hill. The two will get the chance to headline the historic milestone event, in what promises to be an incredible fight.

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Why does Alex Pereira never smile?

Alex Pereira is keeping his reasons for not smiling largely to himself.

Unlike stars such as Conor McGregor and Sean O'Malley, 'Poatan' doesn't have wild trash talk or a massive social media presence. Pereira has built his fanbase by fighting in the cage. However, the Brazilian's stoic nature has also caught the eye of fans.

The UFC light-heavyweight champion rarely, if ever, smiles. Whether it's on social media or in the cage, Pereira is seemingly always calm. That naturally leads to a lot of questions from fans concerning his actual personality.

For years, fans have wondered if Pereira's stoic nature is just natural or an act. In a recent interview with Sports Illustrated's FanNation, the Brazilian was asked about his interests outside of fighting. In case you're wondering what makes Pereira smile, you'll have to keep wondering.

The current UFC light-heavyweight champion declined to give a solid answer on what makes him happy. Instead, Pereira stated that he feels like fans know all that they need to about him, replying:

"I'm always looking for new passions and new things to entertain me. I like all things but it's hard for me to name one specific one. I feel like my life is an open book, and people already know all about me."

It seems that Pereira wants to keep fans questioning if anything brings him joy. Whether his stoic nature is an act, or just his personality, remains unclear.