Alex Pereira issues emotional statement following his sister's defeat in UFC qualifiers

16 October 2026, 21:23·43·Sport

UFC star and former two-division champion Alex Pereira reacted to the defeat of his sister, Aline Pereira, in Dana White's qualifying tournament — Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS).

Aline stepped into the octagon against a world-class Muay Thai star in a dramatic clash for a UFC contract. Although luck was not on her side in the bout, her famous brother highly praised her courage.

«I am proud of you»: Alex Pereira's touching words

The Brazilian UFC fighter took to his social media page to encourage his sister and share important thoughts:

Recognition of resilience and courage: «I am proud of you, my sister. You faced one of the best athletes in the world and, despite your limited experience in MMA, you showed tremendous progress, resilience, and courage;
The result does not diminish the hard work: True, you didn't achieve the desired result, but this does not devalue your tremendous hard work in the slightest. I haven't been able to actively participate in your training over recent years, but I think this also helped you find your own path and grow independently;
Main takeaway: A single fight does not define an athlete's true level. You showed that you fully deserve to perform at the highest level. Don't stop, keep working tirelessly! As a brother, I am always proud of you», — Pereira wrote.

A clash of champions in the octagon

This bout within DWCS sparked great interest among martial arts fans:

Status of the opponents: In the bout, Karate Combat league champion Aline Pereira clashed with Smilla Sundell, champion of the famous ONE FC Muay Thai promotion;
End of the fight: Sundell, representing Sweden, won by unanimous decision after three rounds and earned the opportunity to sign a contract with the UFC.

Although Aline Pereira transitioned to professional mixed martial arts relatively recently, the resistance she showed against such a formidable opponent demonstrated that she could find her place in major leagues in the future.