Alex Pereira receives Forrest Griffin Award and moves with a speech about the Poatan Institute

Former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira was announced as the winner of the 2026 Forrest Griffin Community Award, a recognition the organisation grants annually to fighters who make a difference outside the octagon. The Brazilian reacted with a message full of emotion and said this is one of the proudest moments of his entire career.

An award that goes beyond sport

The Forrest Griffin Community Award does not measure knockouts or belts. It recognises the social impact of athletes – and Pereira built his through a concrete path. In 2024, the São Paulo native founded the Poatan Institute, a non-profit organisation offering free tutoring, computer training and jiu-jitsu training to more than 500 children and teenagers in Brazil. The project does not function as a showcase. It is real structure, with volunteers, teachers and a clear proposal: to give young people in vulnerable situations tools to build a better future. He carries it out in practice.

What Pereira said on receiving the honour

On his social media, the fighter thanked everyone who was part of the journey. Without mincing words. He made clear that the trophy is not his alone: coaches, training partners, friends, volunteers and supporters, according to him, deserve to share the achievement. “Each of them had a role in getting me here,” said the athlete.

Pereira also stressed that he has always believed in the power of martial arts as a tool for social transformation – and that the award confirms this work produced real results. UFC CEO Dana White reinforced the recognition with public praise for the Brazilian’s commitment to the community.

A select list – and what lies ahead in the octagon

With the award, Pereira enters a gallery that includes names such as Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway, Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush. All top-level athletes who used the sport’s visibility to act outside it. Good company.

Inside the cage, the scenario is different – and Pereira still has unfinished business. In June, at UFC White House, he was defeated by Ciryl Gane in the fight for the interim heavyweight title, which ended his attempt to become the first simultaneous three-division champion in the organisation’s history. Despite the setback, the Brazilian signalled he remains in the division and wants a new shot at the belt. Motivation, it seems, is not lacking. Neither inside nor outside the octagon.