Warning: This story contains descriptions/graphic details of sexual assault and might affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it.
Alex Pereira, a prominent mixed martial arts fighter set to headline the U.S. president’s 80th birthday UFC event at the White House, is facing allegations of abuse from two women — and it isn’t the first time.
Court records reviewed by CBC News, including depositions, allege the 38-year-old Brazilian UFC fighter engaged in misconduct including assault, forcible confinement, coercive sexual encounters and stalking.
With Pereira now vying for a championship in a third weight class, many combat sports enthusiasts, including Canadian fans, are expected to tune in to Sunday’s fight.
The allegations, which Pereira denies, were first reported by Maike Backhaus for German broadcaster ARD/WDR. And they come as Donald Trump’s administration continues to deal with fallout from the partial release of the Epstein files.
Epstein survivors and lawmakers have accused the administration of a coverup and not believing the women who say they were trafficked and abused by the sexual predator who was once a close friend of Trump.
Ex-partner seeks restraining order, details alleged abuse
The ongoing case was filed in the domestic violence division of the Miami courts in July 2025 by a German MMA presenter known publicly as Merle Christine, who was in a relationship with Pereira for roughly a year.
Christine told CBC she has taken Pereira to court for her protection and to seek a restraining order “so he cannot contact me anymore, he cannot speak about me anymore and he cannot instrumentalize his fans anymore, which is very important for me and for my life.”
Pereira hails from São Paulo and is nicknamed Poatan, which means “hands of stone” in the Indigenous Tupi language.
CBC emailed Pereira’s lawyer on Wednesday to comment on the allegations but had not received a response as of Friday night.
Christine and Pereira met in 2022 when he was at an MMA event in Germany. She is fluent in Portuguese and says she acted as his translator.
Their interactions soon became more intense, Christine said. “He always said, ‘I conquered you.'”
Christine says she left her marriage, her job and the country to be with Pereira in the U.S.
“The moment I entered his door, his behaviour changed. The moment he knew that I gave up everything for him, his behaviour changed,” she said.
In court documents, Christine alleges Pereira engaged in controlling and isolating behaviour. She alleges he pressured her to have sex almost every day — sometimes depriving her of sleep until she gave in.
In one specific incident months into the relationship, she also alleges Pereira was violent and “forcibly restrained her,” taking her cellphone away and attempting to confine her to a room.
In his Jan. 7 deposition, Pereira denied any acts of violence toward her. For his part, he accused Christine of slapping him. He also denied confining her to a room but did say he took her cellphone so she wouldn’t leave.
“The door was open. She could have left whenever she wanted,” he said.
Pereira is also accused of using recording devices and AirTags to keep tabs on Christine.
In the deposition, he denied using AirTags to track her but did admit to secretly recording her when they argued.
Christine told CBC she tried to leave the relationship multiple times and said she faced pressure to stay from some on Pereira’s team, who would tell her she couldn’t break up before a title fight to preserve his mental state.
“You get the pressure from the people around him because he’s a cash cow, and the people don’t want to lose money,” she said.
The relationship ended in December 2023.
UFC fighter previously jailed in Brazil
Christine isn’t the only woman to level allegations against the fighter.
In 2024, Meredith Brown started posting a series of TikTok videos in which the then-21-year-old accused Pereira of sexual assault at a New Jersey hotel following a UFC event.
Pereira denied Brown’s allegations in his Miami deposition for Christine’s lawsuit and said their encounter was consensual. He also confirmed that he gave a statement to police in New Jersey.
Both Brown and Christine say they have faced online abuse and threats after speaking publicly about Pereira.
The Miami court records also reveal that Pereira spent 18 days in jail in Brazil following an incident with his then wife, more than a decade ago.
Pereira said he was arrested during his deposition, but denied assaulting his wife and characterized it as a misunderstanding.
“It was at the beginning of our relationship. It had to do with jealousy,” he said, adding that they stayed together for another 12 years.
“I know I did not assault her in any way.”
The UFC’s code of conduct frowns on what it calls “irresponsible conduct by an athlete [that] tarnishes the reputation of both the affected athlete and UFC.” It states misconduct by a UFC fighter may result in “sanctions, contractual penalties” and specifically cites as examples assault, stalking, domestic violence and sexual harassment.
The UFC did not respond to questions from CBC News.
Trump praised Pereira
At the White House news conference in early May where Donald Trump announced his birthday bouts, Pereira thanked the president for the opportunity to be fighting for the “special event.”
Trump then praised the martial artist, calling him “one of the greatest punches in the history of the business.”
After shaking Pereira’s hand, Trump said, “He has a large hand. That’s a powerful hand.”
CBC News asked the White House for comment but did not receive a response.
In honour of the United States’ 250th anniversary and U.S. President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday, a UFC event will take place on the White House lawn. Andrew Chang explains how the fight night came together, and the lawsuit that could pose a problem.
(Photo credits: The Canadian Press, Reuters, Adobe Stock and Getty Images)
Christine said she is not surprised Pereira is slated to fight in the event. Since 2021, allegations of intimate partner violence have been leveled against at least a dozen UFC fighters.
“I think the UFC decided to take a path with the manosphere,” she said.
“They can just not afford to lose this type of fighter at the moment.”
Pereira is scheduled to fight fellow heavyweight Ciryl Gane at the White House’s UFC Freedom 250 event Sunday night.
If you’re in immediate danger or fear for your safety or that of others around you, please call 911. For support in your area, you can look for crisis lines and local services via the Ending Sexual Violence Association of Canada database.
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