Alex Pereira wins 2026 Forrest Griffin Community Award

Alex Pereira Named 2026 Forrest Griffin Community Award Recipient Ahead of Historic Heavyweight Bid

The UFC announced during Saturday’s UFC 327 broadcast from the Kaseya Center in Miami that former middleweight and light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has been named the 2026 recipient of the Forrest Griffin Community Award. The honor, personally selected by UFC CEO Dana White, recognizes Pereira’s charitable contributions outside the Octagon and places him alongside previous winners including Charles Oliveira, Dustin Poirier, and Max Holloway.youtube

The announcement arrives as Pereira prepares for what could be the most historic fight of his career — a bout against Ciryl Gane for the interim UFC heavyweight title at UFC Freedom 250 on June 14. That event, also known as UFC White House, is set to take place on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, D.C., as part of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations.youtube

A Champion’s Charity

Pereira’s community work centers on Instituto Poatan, a foundation he established in his hometown neighborhood of Bastitini in São Bernardo do Campo, São Paulo. The institute offers free kickboxing, jiu-jitsu, English, and computer classes to more than 700 registered children from disadvantaged backgrounds. “It has over 700 registered kids,” Pereira said in an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show. “It’s a success and I’m happy to help these kids, many from poor backgrounds with challenges like alcohol and drugs”.lowkickmma

Beyond the institute, Pereira has donated over 1,000 food boxes to residents of his hometown and contributed $120,000 to flood relief efforts in southern Brazil in 2024. In early 2026, he delivered 2,600 boxes of nonperishable food across five favelas in São Paulo. As part of the award, Pereira will receive a $25,000 contribution to a charity of his choosing from the UFC Foundation and will be formally honored at the UFC Hall of Fame ceremony in July.essentiallysports

Chasing Three-Division History

A victory over Gane on June 14 would make Pereira the first fighter in UFC history to hold championships in three different weight classes. The UFC Freedom 250 event will feature a main event pitting Ilia Topuria against Justin Gaethje for the lightweight title, with Pereira and Gane serving as the co-main event. President Donald Trump is expected to host the event, which will seat roughly 5,000 spectators around the Octagon with an additional 85,000 free tickets available for an outdoor viewing area on the Ellipse.bjpenn

Pereira, who previously held UFC gold at both 185 and 205 pounds, now carries recognition for his work far removed from combat — a distinction that, win or lose in June, already sets him apart.