Alex Pereira receives the 2026 Forrest Griffin Award and dedicates it to those who “were part of this journey”

Former two-division UFC champion Alex Pereira has been chosen to receive the 2026 Forrest Griffin Award, one of the greatest honours the organisation grants outside the octagon. The Brazilian took to social media to give thanks and made clear that the achievement goes beyond any belt: “This award belongs to you too.”

What Pereira said about the recognition

In a statement published after the announcement, Poatan did not hold back. He acknowledged the historic weight of the award and placed the distinction alongside values that, according to him, have always guided his path.

“I am deeply honoured and grateful to receive the 2026 Forrest Griffin Award. This is a very special moment for me. I know this award has already been given to great UFC names who, like me, dedicated part of their lives to helping people and families through charity and martial arts,” wrote the fighter.

He added: “It is a great honour to be part of this history.” His social work has as its central reference the Poatan Institute, founded in 2024. The organisation offers free tutoring, computing courses and jiu-jitsu training to more than 500 young people in Brazil.

It is precisely this kind of initiative that the Forrest Griffin Award sets out to celebrate. Created in honour of former champion and current UFC vice-president Forrest Griffin, the trophy recognises athletes who go beyond their work inside the cage and build real impact in the communities around them. It is not sporting merit. It is legacy.

As part of the award, the UFC Foundation will make a donation of 25 thousand dollars to a charitable institution of Pereira’s choice.

A select list of predecessors

In receiving the honour, Alex Pereira joins a restricted group. Among previous winners are Dustin Poirier, Max Holloway, Charles Oliveira and Beneil Dariush – names known both for their excellence in the octagon and for their work outside it.

For Pereira, the award comes at a moment of image consolidation. After becoming one of the few fighters in UFC history to win titles in two different weight classes, the São Paulo native from Sete Lagoas now adds a new dimension to his public narrative: that of an athlete who builds something concrete for those left behind. The octagon forms champions. The Poatan Institute tries to form people.