Coach Reveals Alex Pereira Cleared up 'Witchcraft' Allegations With Jiri Prochazka

Pereira put his light heavyweight title on the line against Prochazka on 11 days’ notice at UFC 303 after Conor McGregor pulled out of his scheduled main event against Michael Chandler due to a toe injury. Leading up to the bout, Prochazka accused Pereira of using shamanic rituals and spiritual help to win fights.

“Poatan,” who sports his indigenous tribal war paint during face offs, didn’t clearly deny the allegations stating, “Everybody has their own spirits.” However, the Brazilian, who represents the Pataxó tribe, promised to not use any magic during his title fight against Prochazka. Pereira almost shut the lights on Prochazka at the end of the first round before sleeping him with a head kick and follow-up punches at the very beginning of Round 2.

Pereira’s longtime coach Plinio Cruz insists that despite the warpaint and tribal dance, “Poatan” is a man of God and has never used witchcraft in his life. Cruz believes Prochazka let the whole spiritual narrative get to his head, which played out in their favor in the fight.

“I think it got a little bit on his [Prochazka’s] head,” Cruz said on "The MMA Hour” “Alex have his indigenous background, his parents, he likes to honor and I respect him a lot that he honors the culture of his people. And I help him do that, I’m a big supporter. But Alex is a man of God, whatever you wanna call God, Allah, Yahweh, Jehovah… the sun is just one and Alex is a man of God. I think Jiri somehow let it get in his own head, this whole indigenous stuff, this witchcrafting, whatever. But that just played more on our side.”

Cruz also revealed that Pereira cleared up the same with Prochazka when the teams came across each other at the airport.

“We like him, we like his team, he’s a gentleman,” Cruz said. “He’s a true warrior, he lives by the samurai code. Got a little funny on his head about the spiritual side. And Alex, he’s not the kind of guy that sends messages, he tells whatever he feels. So, we came to him [Prochazka] and he [Pereira] say, ‘Hey look, much respect for you. I wish you the best.’ Like real real genuine stuff, but he says, ‘Hey look, just so you know, I never touch the witchcraft in my life. Regardless indigenous family, regardless whatever, I’m a man of God same way as you are, so do not get it twisted.”

Reference: https://www.sherdog.com/news/news/Coach-Reveals-Alex-Pereira-Cleared-up-Witchcraft-Allegations-With-Jiri-Prochazka-194220