UFC has announced that former two-division champion Alex Pereira will be the recipient of the 2026 Forrest Griffin Community Award. This prestigious award, named in honor of UFC Hall of Famer Forrest Griffin, recognizes a UFC athlete for their significant volunteer work and the positive influence their charitable efforts have on the community.
The Forrest Griffin Community Award is presented annually as part of the UFC Honors President’s Choice category. The recipient is personally chosen by UFC President & CEO Dana White. UFC Honors celebrates the exceptional achievements and memorable moments of UFC athletes throughout the year.
As the 2026 awardee, Pereira will receive a $25,000 donation to a charity of his choice, funded by the UFC Foundation. Additionally, he will collaborate with artist Ant Kai to create and auction a unique pair of UFC-branded gloves through UFC’s Gloves for Good Program. All proceeds from the auction will go to his foundation, The Instituto Poatan.
Pereira will be formally recognized during the 2026 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, which is part of the 14th Annual UFC International Fight Week. The ceremony is scheduled for Thursday, July 9, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
UFC President & CEO Dana White commented, “Alex is one of the biggest stars in the world, and it’s wonderful to see him leverage his influence to support the community and assist youth in Brazil. By providing free after-school tutoring, computer literacy programs, and jiu-jitsu training to over 500 local young people, he is directly helping these students build better futures for themselves. It is an honor to present him with this award.”
Pereira established The Instituto Poatan in 2024. The foundation, based in Sao Paulo, Brazil, aims to foster social and sports initiatives, utilizing sports as a catalyst for positive change. The institute’s ambition is to become a leading example in promoting sports practices that drive social, educational, and community development.
With core principles of transparency, excellence, integrity, and commitment, the institute offers vital resources such as free after-school tutoring, English courses, computer skills training, nutritional guidance, and jiu-jitsu instruction to underprivileged youth.
Since its founding, more than 500 young individuals have benefited from the institute’s programs, with plans for further expansion in 2026.
Beyond Brazil, Pereira actively contributes to local communities globally. He visits children’s hospitals, teaches jiu-jitsu, and engages with underprivileged youth, often in collaboration with fellow athletes and through UFC’s youth mentoring initiatives.
Pereira boasts an impressive MMA record of 13-3 (10-2 in the UFC) over 16 fights since his professional debut in 2015. Prior to his MMA career, he had a successful kickboxing run with a record of 33-7, holding both the GLORY middleweight and light heavyweight championships.