UFC Fighter Alex Pereira's "Chama" Catchphrase Has Drawn Some Questioning — What Language Does He Speak?

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and MMA fighter Alex Pereira has never shied away from his native Brazilian heritage. He has often proudly represented the indigenous Pataxó tribe throughout his career, even showing up to his official UFC 281 weigh-in wearing traditional Pataxó garb and publicly visiting the tribe after winning the title of UFC Middleweight Champion. In a display of community, he brought the belt home, posing for photo ops and sharing in his success.

Another aspect of his heritage is his famous catchphrase, "chama." It has become a part of his brand at this point, with him using the phrase constantly during public appearances, post-fight interviews, and more. But what does the phrase actually mean, and what language is it?

"Chama," when translated directly from Brazil's primary language, Portuguese, means "flame" or "blaze." However, Alex uses it in a bit of a different way, meaning something more like "let's go" or a general expression of enthusiasm. It has become his catchphrase, with fans chanting the word at him during fights and public appearances.

In a backstage encounter between Alex and his rival, Jamahal Hill, Alex was asked to explain the term, to which he curtly replied, "Let's go." Well then — case closed.

Fans have often wondered just what language the UFC fighter speaks, as he reportedly knows next to no English and is often accompanied by a translator. His popular nickname, "Poatan," means "Stone Hands" in the Tupi language, which was spoken by the indigenous Tupi people of Brazil.

And the Pataxó tribe even has their own language. They once spoke the now-extinct Pataxó language, but currently speak a mix of Portuguese and Patxohã, an updated version of their original language.

It seems that Alex himself speaks mostly Portuguese, but he likely speaks some Patxohã, as well.

Content warning: This section mentions rape and sexual misconduct.

Alex's catchphrase has gotten a lot of attention recently for another reason — it was mentioned in a series of TikTok videos in which OnlyFans model Meredith Brown accused the UFC champ of rape. The allegations, which state that Meredith was forced into a premeditated sexual encounter with Alex after being invited to spend the day with him during UFC 302, have gone viral as of late.

Meredith's upsetting story has received some backlash and disbelief from fans of Alex, who claim her story just isn't credible. And at one point throughout her TikTok series, Meredith mentioned that Alex used his signature catchphrase during her interaction with him, which many found unfortunately humorous. When allegedly shown Meredith's photo while planning their day out, Alex's only response was "chama."

"'His only response was chama' got me dying," one fan said of her story.

Alex has not publicly addressed the accusations, and whether he will do so at all remains to be seen.