UFC champion Alex Pereira is moving his attention towards Karate Combat this weekend as his sister makes her debut in the promotion.
Aline Pereira is a kickboxer and MMA fighter, who took inspiration to compete from her brother’s exploits as a world champion in both disciplines. She has been out of action for the last year since losing her third LFA fight, but returns now under the Karate Combat banner.
In that bout, she faces former PFL star Dee Begley, who trains under John Kavanagh at Dublin’s SBG Ireland. The gym is famously home to Conor McGregor, whom she counts among her teammates alongside UFC stars like Kiefer Crosbie and Johnny Walker.
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Alex Pereira’s sister Aline Pereira makes Karate Combat debut this Friday
After watching her brother Alex Pereira defend his light-heavyweight world title against Khalil Rountree Jr at UFC 307, Aline Pereira looks to do the same on Friday night. She was around his camp in Salt Lake City, where her fight also takes place, and watched live at the Delta Center.
She hasn’t competed since going 1-2 in LFA over a year ago when she was defeated over three rounds by Cheyanne Bowers. She has since been training, and is now taking on yet another new discipline after landing wins in the MMA cage as well as the kickboxing ring.
Pereira is 34-years-old, five years the senior of her opponent Dee Begley. The Irish woman brings a 4-6 MMA record that is perhaps defiant of her actual abilities as a veteran on the scene in grappling and MMA competition.
Last month, Begley made her debut in the boxing ring, losing by unanimous decision to Savannah Tini. She hasn’t won a fight since April of last year when she submitted Hannah Guy in the first round on Combate Global and is looking to snap her losing streak this time around.
Alex Pereira explains his part in Aline Pereira’s camp
Alex Pereira has been heavily involved in his sister’s pre-fight training camp, taking her on the pads and sharing social media videos to promote her training. And he has explained why he is so deeply affected by his sibling’s fights in a recent interview with Karate Combat’s official channels.
On the day of his fight with Rountree, he managed to get to the gym to help coach his sister, telling ‘President Awesome’ Asim Zaidi: “It’s really important because the work has been done together since the beginning.
“You saw this [him training her on a fight day] but it wasn’t the first time. Back when we were in Glory there were events when we fought on the same night, she fought earlier and I was in her corner then she won.
“We went back to the locker room and I returned to my focus and concentration and I defended my title again. So for me it’s normal, I am ready for everything.”
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