Alex Pereira Breaks Long-Time Tradition for UFC 320 and Fans Aren’t Liking It

Alex Pereira was forced to bid farewell to his five-fight unbeaten streak earlier this year when he clashed with Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313. Now, the Brazilian powerhouse is gearing up for redemption at UFC 320 on October 4, 2025, at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Determined to reclaim his lost UFC gold, ‘Poatan’ has hinted at making some adjustments—but not in the way fans might expect.

Instead of changing his technique, the 38-year-old revealed he wanted to shake things up with his fight gear. “I feel like changing things up a bit. I want to fight with shorts like this [Yellow]. Of course, I have custom shorts I usually fight in,” Pereira explained. However, despite his wish to bring a fresh look to the Octagon, the latest update suggests that the situation has taken an unexpected turn.

Pereira’s new shorts for Ankalaev revealed

Earlier today, Home of Fight pulled back the curtain on Alex Pereira’s latest fight gear—and it immediately set the internet buzzing. “Alex Pereira will wear a new version of his custom shorts ahead of #UFC320,” the outlet announced, unveiling the fresh design meant for his highly anticipated rematch with Magomed Ankalaev. For Alex Pereira, his fight shorts aren’t just fabric. They’ve become a signature piece of his UFC identity. 

Alex Pereira will wear an new version of his custom shorts ahead of #UFC320 pic.twitter.com/BWq6lX8bOz

— Home of Fight (@Home_of_Fight) September 27, 2025

Crafted in collaboration with Venum under the exclusive UFC Unrivaled collection, the line is reserved for only the sport’s elite. His custom ‘Vale Tudo’ compression shorts first made their mark at UFC 300 in April 2024, when he dethroned Jamahal Hill. Bursting with multicolored tribal motifs, the design paid homage to Alex Pereira’s Pataxó heritage—woven with jaguar symbols, traditional patterns, and bold hues that told the story of his roots.

What’s more, it helps function mix with symbolism, flexible, compressive fabric built for peak performance inside the Octagon. Yet despite the artistry and meaning behind the new edition, the latest reveal hasn’t landed as smoothly with fans online—sparking debate before the fight has even begun.

Alex Pereria told the reality

People were immediately against the new design. “Fruity Pebbles a— shorts,” the user wrote. Perhaps the backlash will result in a better design in his next fight. 

Another user asked Pereria to go back to the old ones. “Old ones were better,” the user commented. It might be too late to go back to them. 

The next user wasn’t happy at all. “They done smeared s—t on half the shorts,” the user wrote. Although this might be a little exaggerated.

June 29, 2024, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA: ALEX PEREIRA red of Brazil against JIRI PROCHAZKA of the Czech Republic in the UFC light heavyweight championship fight during the UFC 303 event at T-Mobile Arena. Las Vegas USA – ZUMAv122 20240629_aap_v122_174 Copyright: xWilliamxVolcovx

The next user echoed the same sentiment. “I can’t be the only one who thinks the new ones are way worse,” the user wrote. If Pareria wins wearing these, perhaps people may change their minds. 

Amid all the scrutiny, this user was impressed with the new design. “They do look much better,” the user claimed. At least, it has some supporters. 

Good design or not, Alex Pereira may very well step into the cage wearing these shorts. But at the end of the day, does the design really matter if it doesn’t affect his performance? What are your thoughts on the shorts? 

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