Alex Pereira says clearly that he won’t continue fighting only to help younger UFC contenders build their careers. The former two-division champion is getting ready to face Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 335 on December 12, and he knows when the time to walk away might come. He’s coming off a knockout loss to Ciryl Gane in his heavyweight debut, so another defeat could make his future in the sport a much bigger question. But retirement isn’t the immediate plan. He still wants to chase heavyweight gold, and the Brazilian has no interest to drag his career when the results stop going his way.
Alex Pereira makes it clear he has no intention of sticking around past his prime and becoming a stepping stone for the next generation of fighters: “You gotta learn how to see when it’s your moment and when it’s not. If I start losing, If things start not going too good, I don’t want to be a stepping stone for nobody to be going up. I’ll just be focusing on enjoying my time and enjoying my money. We did a very good career plan for me, my kids, my future, my kids’ future, for the institute that I built. We’re all settled, so I have nothing to prove anymore.”
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) October 21, 2026
Pereira Refuses to Become a Stepping Stone for Younger Fighters
Pereira was speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, where he explained how he’s going to judge when his fighting career should end.
“You gotta learn how to see when it’s your moment and when it’s not,” he said.
The 39-year-old got even more direct about what he wants if his performances begin to decline. So, he doesn’t want to stay in the UFC just because rising fighters can use his name for building their own reputation.
“If one day I start losing, if things start not going too good, I don’t want to be a stepping stone for nobody to be going up. I’ll just be focusing on enjoying my time and enjoying my money.”
Also, Pereira pointed out that he already made plans for his family and future. His career earnings and the institute he built are accounted for, and because of this he doesn’t feel any pressure to keep competing just to prove something.
“We’re all settled, so I have nothing to prove anymore,” Pereira added.
Heavyweight Title Goal Still Keeps Pereira Motivated
Retirement talk doesn’t mean Pereira gave up on his current goal. He still wants to become a UFC champion in third weight division, and the fight against Pavlovich gives him one more chance to move towards that target.
His heavyweight debut against Gane ended with a knockout loss in June. There was also a setback against Magomed Ankalaev, which leaves him with little room for another poor result if he wants to stay in the title conversation.
Pereira is planning a change in his weight for the Pavlovich fight too. He weighed 251 pounds against Gane and has revealed that this time he wants to come in around 10 pounds lighter, putting him near 240 pounds.