Short answer? Alex Pereira lives in Danbury, Connecticut, and trains at Teixeira MMA & Fitness in nearby Bethel. He was born in Brazil, but Western Connecticut has been his base since 2020. Let’s walk through how that happened and what it means for his camps.
| L | Ciryl Gane TitleKO/TKO · Punches to Head At Distance · R2 1:27 | UFC Freedom 250Jun 14, 2026 |
| W | Magomed Ankalaev TitleKO/TKO · Elbows to Head From Half Guard · R1 1:20 | UFC 320: Ankalaev vs. Pereira 2Oct 4, 2025 |
| L | Magomed Ankalaev TitleDecision - Unanimous · R5 5:00 | UFC 313: Pereira vs. AnkalaevMar 8, 2025 |
| W | Khalil Rountree Jr. TitleKO/TKO · Punch to Head At Distance · R4 4:32 | UFC 307: Pereira vs. Rountree Jr.Oct 5, 2024 |
| W | Jiri Prochazka TitleKO/TKO · Kick to Head At Distance · R2 0:13 | UFC 303: Pereira vs. Prochazka 2Jun 29, 2024 |
So where does Pereira actually live?
If you picture a UFC superstar in Las Vegas or Miami, this might surprise you. Pereira has trained and lived in Connecticut since 2020. He lived with Glover Teixeira briefly, then shared a house with teammates, and eventually bought his own home in Danbury.
The UFC’s own coverage backs that up. Back in 2023 it said Pereira had turned Danbury into an adopted home.
We’re keeping it at city level here. You won’t get an address from us, and you shouldn’t want one.
One small wrinkle: some stat sites list him as living in Bethel instead. Bethel and Danbury are neighboring towns, so that’s an easy mix-up. Major outlets like Yahoo Sports and the UFC itself say Danbury.
And where’s the gym?
Here’s the part people mix up. The gym is usually described as being in Danbury, but it’s actually in Bethel. Pereira has kept training at Teixeira MMA and Fitness in Bethel, under both Teixeira and Plinio Cruz. An ESPN feature on the gym described it as a family project that Teixeira opened with his wife.
It’s not a giant corporate facility, and that’s kind of the point. Pereira told ESPN in a piece published before UFC 281 that the training there is hard. ESPN described him as content, with a firm sense of purpose.
It’s also a working gym. UFC.com noted that Pereira teaches classes at Teixeira MMA. So it isn’t a closed-door fight camp. It’s a real community.
How did a Brazilian kickboxer end up in Connecticut?
Honestly, it started as a favor. Early in his MMA career, he came to Connecticut to be a sparring and training partner for Glover Teixeira, the former UFC light heavyweight champion. Teixeira has lived in Danbury for decades.
And then he just stayed. After helping Teixeira win his bout, Pereira stayed to train at Teixeira’s gym for his own career.
Think about how rare that is. Plenty of fighters chase big-name gyms. Pereira got his home base from a training-partner gig that turned into something bigger.
Quick facts at a glance
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Born in | São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil |
| Lives in | Danbury, Connecticut |
| Main gym | Teixeira MMA & Fitness (Bethel, CT) |
| Key coaches | Glover Teixeira, Plinio Cruz |
| Based in Connecticut since | 2020 |
| Next scheduled fight | Sergei Pavlovich, UFC 335, Dec. 12 |
The birthplace comes from Sofascore’s profile, which lists São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil. ESPN adds that he was born into poverty in the favelas of São Paulo.
What does his fight camp look like?
So is it all Connecticut, all the time? Mostly, yes. But not entirely.
Plinio Cruz is a big part of the picture. In a Yahoo Sports feature, Pereira described the choice between training with Cruz in New Jersey or having him come to Danbury. That same piece reported that Cruz had opened his own gym in Nutley, New Jersey. It also said Pereira drove out there the day after a session at Teixeira’s.
He’s also been known to travel. In 2025, SI reported that he primarily trains out of Teixeira’s gym in Danbury but also got some work in with the “Fighting Nerds” in his native Brazil. That team is based in São Paulo.
And camps aren’t always tidy. Ahead of UFC 303, ESPN reported he was traveling in Australia only 16 days out. He flew home to Danbury, which left about a week of “camp” before he left for Las Vegas. That’s a reminder that a fighter’s schedule can get messy, even for a champion.
Want a comparison with other stars? Our look at where Jon Jones lives and trains shows a very different setup.
Why this matters going into December
You’re probably asking because there’s a fight coming. Pereira returns to face Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 335 on Dec. 12 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. It’s a five-round co-main event.
Pereira hasn’t fought since the Ciryl Gane loss at UFC Freedom 250 in June. Yahoo reported on Oct. 1 that he was back in the gym and teasing his next fight.
The UFC hasn’t publicly detailed his camp plans for this fight, so we can’t tell you exactly where each session will happen. Given his history, Connecticut is the safe bet as his base. If you want dates and updates, we keep our Pereira fight schedule post current.
What fans usually get wrong
- “He trains in Brazil.” He’s from there and visits, but his main base is Connecticut.
- “The gym is in Danbury.” Danbury is where he lives. The gym is in Bethel, right next door.
- “He’s a Vegas guy.” Fights happen in Vegas a lot, but he doesn’t live there. His main home and gym are in Connecticut.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Alex Pereira live?
He lives in Danbury, Connecticut, in a home he bought after moving to the area in 2020. We don’t share any more detail than the city.
What gym does Alex Pereira train at?
He trains at Teixeira MMA & Fitness in Bethel, Connecticut, which Glover Teixeira founded. Plinio Cruz also coaches him.
Is Alex Pereira’s team in Brazil?
No. His core team is in Connecticut. He has trained with São Paulo’s “Fighting Nerds” while visiting Brazil, but that wasn’t a move.
Who is Alex Pereira fighting next?
He’s scheduled to face Sergei Pavlovich at UFC 335 on Dec. 12 in Las Vegas, in a five-round co-main event.
So that’s the story, and it’s a good one. A sparring-partner trip turned into a home, a gym and a championship run. If you’re ever driving through Western Connecticut, you’ll know why the area matters to fight fans. Come back before UFC 335, because we’ll keep you posted.
Sources
- Yahoo Sports: Alex Pereira’s Connecticut journey
- Yahoo Sports: Alex Pereira and the kings of Connecticut
- UFC.com: Pereira aims for another signature moment in New York City
- ESPN: Why Pereira decided to come to Connecticut
- ESPN: Alex Pereira, Mr. Anytime, Anyplace, Anywhere
- Sports Illustrated: Pereira trains with the Fighting Nerds
- Yahoo Sports: Pereira faces Pavlovich at UFC 335
- Yahoo Sports: Pereira teases UFC fight announcement
- Sofascore: Alex Pereira profile
Last updated: October 2026
