Alex Pereira Named 2026 Recipient of Forrest Griffin Community Award

Alex Pereira, a distinguished former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion, has been selected as the 2026 recipient of the prestigious Forrest Griffin Community Award. This award, named in honor of UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin, celebrates UFC athletes who demonstrate exceptional dedication to volunteerism and charitable endeavors, making a significant positive impact on their communities.

Presented annually as part of the UFC Honors President’s Choice category, the recipient of the Forrest Griffin Community Award is personally chosen by UFC President & CEO Dana White. UFC Honors is the organization's yearly program that acknowledges UFC athletes, outstanding performances, and memorable moments throughout the year.

As the 2026 honoree, Pereira will receive a $25,000 donation designated for a charity of his choice, with all contributions made possible by the UFC Foundation.

Furthermore, Pereira will collaborate with celebrated artist Ant Kai to design and auction a unique pair of UFC-branded gloves. This initiative, part of UFC’s Gloves for Good Program, will direct the proceeds to support his foundation, The Instituto Poatan.

Pereira will be formally recognized for this accolade during the 2026 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which is a key event of the 14th Annual UFC International Fight Week. The ceremony is scheduled to take place on Thursday, July 9th, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

"Alex is one of the biggest stars in the world, and it’s great to see him leverage his platform to give back to the community by assisting youth in Brazil," stated UFC President & CEO Dana White. "By providing free after-school tutoring, computer literacy programs, and jiu-jitsu training to over 500 local young people, he is directly empowering these students to build better lives for themselves. It is an honor to present him with this award."

The Instituto Poatan (Poatan Institute / Poatan Cares Foundation) was established by Pereira in 2024. Following the purchase and renovation of a facility in Sao Paulo, Brazil, the institute's core mission is to foster social and sports initiatives, utilizing sports as a catalyst for transformation. The non-profit organization aspires to become a leading institution in promoting, expanding, and disseminating sports practices that drive social, educational, and community development.

Grounded in core values of transparency, excellence, integrity, and commitment, the institute offers a range of free services to underprivileged youth, including after-school tutoring, English courses, computer literacy training, nutrition education, and jiu-jitsu instruction.

Since its inception, more than 500 young individuals from the local community have enrolled in the institute's programs, with plans for further expansion in 2026.

Beyond his work in Brazil, Pereira actively contributes to local communities globally. He visits children's hospitals, conducts jiu-jitsu instruction, and engages with underprivileged youth, often in collaboration with fellow athletes and in partnership with UFC's youth mentoring programs.

Pereira boasts a professional MMA career spanning 16 fights, with a record of 13 wins and 3 losses (10-2 in the UFC) since his professional debut in 2015. Prior to his MMA career, he had a successful kickboxing career with 40 professional fights, achieving a record of 33 wins and 7 losses, and holding both the GLORY middleweight and light heavyweight titles.

English Translation:

Alex Pereira, a notable former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight champion, has been designated as the 2026 recipient of the Forrest Griffin Community Award. This award, established in tribute to UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin, acknowledges UFC athletes for their remarkable volunteer and charitable work and the significant positive influence their efforts have on their communities.

The Forrest Griffin Community Award is presented annually as part of the UFC Honors President’s Choice category, with the recipient personally selected by UFC President & CEO Dana White. UFC Honors is the company's annual awards program that recognizes UFC athletes, exceptional performances, and significant moments throughout each year.

As the 2026 recipient of the Forrest Griffin Community Award, Pereira will be awarded a $25,000 donation to a charity of his choosing. All donations are provided courtesy of the UFC Foundation.

Pereira will also collaborate with celebrity artist Ant Kai to design and auction a unique pair of UFC-branded gloves as part of UFC’s Gloves for Good Program. The funds raised will benefit his foundation, The Instituto Poatan.

Pereira will be honored for this award during the 2026 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which is part of the 14th Annual UFC International Fight Week. The event is scheduled to take place on Thursday, July 9, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.

“Alex is one of the biggest stars in the world, and it’s great to see him use his platform to give back to the community by helping youth in Brazil,” said UFC President & CEO Dana White. “By offering free after-school tutoring, computer literacy programs, and jiu-jitsu training to more than 500 local youth, he is directly helping the students create better lives for themselves. It’s an honor to present him with this award.”

Pereira founded The Instituto Poatan (Poatan Institute / Poatan Cares Foundation) in 2024, after purchasing and renovating a building in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The institute’s mission is to promote social and sports initiatives, using sports as a tool for transformation. The non-profit's vision is to become a benchmark for encouraging, expanding, and spreading sports practices that drive social, educational, and community development.

With core values centered on transparency, excellence, integrity, and commitment, the institute offers free after-school tutoring, English courses, computer literacy, nutrition, and jiu-jitsu training to underprivileged youth.

Since its inception, more than 500 local youth have registered for the institute’s programs, and the organization plans to continue its expansion in 2026.

Outside of Brazil, Pereira continues to give back to local communities around the world, visiting children’s hospitals, teaching jiu-jitsu, and speaking with underprivileged youth in conjunction with other athletes and in partnership with UFC’s youth mentoring programs.

Pereira is a veteran of 16 fights in MMA and has compiled a record of 13-3 (10-2 UFC) since his professional MMA debut in 2015. Before transitioning to MMA, he competed in 40 professional kickboxing fights, registering a 33-7 record and capturing the GLORY middleweight and light heavyweight titles.