Poatan recalls criticism upon arrival at the UFC: "They said it would be just one more"

Alex Poatan Pereira is one victory away from achieving an unprecedented feat in the UFC. If the Frenchman Ciryl Gane wins next Sunday (14), in an event held at the White House, in the United States, the Brazilian will win a belt in his third different category within the organization.

On the eve of the historic challenge, Poatan recalled the path he took to reach the top of the MMA world and revealed that he had to live with distrust from part of the sports community when he switched from kickboxing to the UFC.

In an interview with CNN Brasil, the fighter stated that he heard criticism from different sectors shortly after his arrival at the main MMA organization in the world.

"Sometimes we look at a person and see other people saying that this won't work, that it won't be anyone. Even when I joined the UFC, many people, ex-fighters, experts, journalists, everyone criticized, saying that I was going to be just another kickboxer there, that I wasn't going to achieve anything", he said.

Now a former middleweight and light heavyweight champion, Poatan believes he managed to defy predictions and build a path that few imagined possible.

"I changed the whole story," he said.

The Brazilian explained that the search for the third belt has a meaning that goes beyond the sporting aspect. For him, the achievement would represent another chapter in a transformation that began long before his international fame.

"It means a lot. I think more about where I came from, the lifestyle I had. All of that has changed", he declared.

Poatan also highlighted that the most difficult moments of his career played an important role in his evolution as an athlete. According to him, significant defeats helped shape the mentality that took him to the top.

"I'm sure that after these defeats is where I grew the most. Sometimes, when we're just winning, we relax. But these defeats made me evolve", he said.

Reflecting on his career, the fighter said he hopes to serve as an example for people who face obstacles in different areas of life.

"It's showing people that we are capable of winning, of achieving something. Not just in fighting, but in any profession. I think I'm showing that to people and motivating them", he said.

Poatan also pointed out a specific moment in which he began to definitively believe that he could become one of the great names in the sport: the victory over Israel Adesanya, a historic rival since his kickboxing days.

"After I beat Adesanya, where no one was beating him, the key turned. I couldn't doubt myself anymore," he said.

Now, faced with the opportunity to write another chapter in the history of the UFC, the Brazilian is trying to turn the improbable into reality again. This time, on a new stage: the White House lawn.

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Source: CNN