During his time as the UFC light heavyweight champion, Glover Teixeira could often be seen in the western parts of Connecticut. He had his gym in Bethel, near Michael’s Tap Room, and was a regular at the Farmhouse restaurant in Newtown. He would chat with locals about his experience as a UFC champion in his 40s while enjoying wine and steak on a random Thursday. Teixeira had moved to the area from Brazil in the early 2000s and met his wife, Ingrid, there.
Even after retiring from competition at the age of 45, Teixeira remains a beloved figure in the community. He is now a coach to Alex Pereira, the current UFC light heavyweight champion. Pereira, known as “Poatan,” is a celebrated fighter who is often spotted around town, from the Danbury Fair Mall to local restaurants. People who encounter him often describe him as a “killer.”
One Halloween night in 2023, just before Pereira won the light heavyweight title, Teixeira and Pereira made a memorable entrance at Michael’s Tap Room. Teixeira, dressed as a shark, and Pereira, as a clown, caught the attention of everyone in the bar. Despite the playful costumes, Pereira’s impending title fight added a sense of seriousness to the moment.
Pereira went on to defend his title multiple times, earning the title of Fighter of the Year in 2024. His upcoming fight against Magomed Ankalaev is highly anticipated, as Ankalaev poses a unique challenge to Pereira’s kickboxing skills. However, Pereira’s coach Plinio Cruz remains confident in his abilities, citing his experience and black belt in jiu-jitsu as key strengths.
Pereira first came to Teixeira’s gym to help him prepare for a fight in 2020, and their bond has only strengthened since then. Teixeira’s influence and guidance have played a crucial role in Pereira’s rise to becoming one of the most dominant fighters in the UFC. Teixeira’s longtime friend Jorge Guimaraes was the one who introduced them, back when Anderson Silva was dominating the MMA scene. At that time, if you weren’t following kickboxing, you probably didn’t know much about Pereira. All people knew in 2020 was that he had defeated then-UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya twice in kickboxing matches. Pereira was just a few months away from his victorious LFA fight against Thomas Powell, marking his official transition into MMA.
“It was friendship at first sight,” Glover reminisces about meeting Pereira. “He came to my house, and I was relaxing in a hammock in my garden. I had told Jorge that I didn’t want someone too fancy, someone who would turn their nose up at certain restaurants. I like things simple. Then Alex arrived, and he immediately made himself at home in my garden, admiring the vegetables, munching on green tomatoes, and chatting.”
One could picture Ferdinand the Bull enjoying smelling flowers.
“I suggested we have a barbecue. Do you like barbecue?” I asked him. He replied, ‘I love it.’ So I started preparing some meat, playing music that nobody else liked … except Plinio, of course. It was old Brazilian country music, the kind my father enjoys. I overheard Alex saying, ‘Oh, that’s great!’ He liked my music? That’s when I knew, ‘I like this guy.'”
Since then, Alex has become like family. You might have seen the videos of Glover and Alex grilling together, wrestling in the snowy northeast, or trying to teach Nina Drama jiu-jitsu. They’ve formed a close bond over the past five years, with Glover now supporting Pereira as the champion, helping turn Teixeira’s gym into a premier training spot.
“Three years in the UFC, think about how many times we’ve been wrestled. We didn’t give him a black belt for nothing,” Plinio Cruz comments on Alex Pereira’s skill.
During my visit on the Tuesday before the fight week, they were sparring hard with a variety of tough opponents testing Pereira’s skills. Glover watched closely, sipping his Stew Leonard’s coffee, a brand he’s particular about. At one point, he tried to identify a strange smell and jokingly sniffed around the cage. Such camaraderie is common at Teixeira’s, where discipline is valued over regret.
“I knew he would be a phenomenal fighter because he’s a different kind of beast,” Glover reflects on Pereira. “I thought I was special, but Alex is on another level. He’s a different breed. We see him do things that make us wonder how he keeps going after tough training sessions.”
After the training session, Glover delivered a passionate speech to the team, including Alex’s sister Aline, who is also a professional fighter. He expressed his disdain for the jiu-jitsu mentality, preferring the resilience of wrestlers who never give up. He praised their relentless attitude and determination, emphasizing the importance of never quitting in the face of challenges. The mentality that screams “you’re going to have to kill me” is exemplified by Glover Teixeira. Born with a wrestler’s mindset from Dagestan, Glover is a living example of hard work and perseverance. He has transformed from a quiet fighter into a coach for the biggest star in the UFC, Alex Pereira. Glover’s confidence in Pereira stems from his unmatched work ethic and dedication. Pereira’s willingness to train hard, even after long trips, sets him apart from the rest. This rags-to-riches story has seen Pereira go from living with teammates in Connecticut to owning a house filled with supercars in Danbury. The success has also spread to Plinio Cruz, who opened his own gym in New Jersey dedicated to training fighters like Pereira. Through hard work and determination, Glover and his team are expanding their gym and achieving success both in and out of the octagon. Joe Frazier is training for his upcoming boxing match against KSI in New Jersey. Dillon Danis and Action Bronson, a New York rapper and fight fan enthusiast, are also present. Pereira spars with rotating partners, including Danis. Action Bronson, standing in with Pereira for the first time, puts in a mouthguard. Pereira stalks forward like a predator, landing shots on Bronson. Bronson admits Pereira’s hits feel like being hit by 10 people at once. Pereira hits any target put in front of him, regardless of who it is. Despite requests for interviews, Pereira remains focused on his training. He had a feature coming out in the Player’s Tribune, where he talks about his fears and struggles that led him to become a fighter. Pereira’s fear of getting hit helps him in the octagon. He admits to being afraid of wrestlers like Ankalaev, but it’s how he handles that fear that makes him a terror in the division.
The Easter Island thing is legit. The expressionless face has translated far better than any words can when you’re a two-division champion who obliterates everything he touches. I think Cruz is onto something when he says Alex “Poatan” Pereira speaks loudest when not saying anything at all.
“I knew he was able to achieve great things, but over time we knew he was able to conquer anything,” he says. “Like Glover has said, he’s the full package, and I think even the fact that people criticize the no English thing — I don’t want him to speak English! I think the way he keeps that stone face creates a whole mystique around him that people like, and now with his sarcasm behind the jokes … because he doesn’t speak English, I think people can just relate to him as a simple guy.”
A simple guy who shows up to the ceremonial weigh-ins in full native face paint and Pataxó headdress in homage to his indigenous roots. Who does a war strut as he makes his way to the Octagon, stopping to fire an imaginary arrow in the direction of his opponent before letting out a blood-curdling scream, bringing everyone in on the ritual.
“I compare him to Chuck Liddell,” Glover says, referring to his own mentor from back in the day at The Pit. “Just the lifestyle and the way people respond to him.”
Alex Pereira came to Connecticut to help a champion and ended up becoming one of the most beloved champions of the era. Little Danbury has no idea what it did to become a portal for Brazilian champions, but so long as Pereira stays in control, business will boom, and the local haunts will stay haunted.