REMEMBER! The friendship between Poatan and Yousri Belgaroui began with a kickboxing rivalry

Poatan and Yousri celebrate their UFC victory. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/yousriofficial

Anyone who sees it today might think that the relationship between Alex Poatán e Yousri Belgaroui It's always been wonderful, as the fighters are friends and training partners. However, it wasn't always this way. On the contrary, before becoming close, the strikers were rivals and starred in kickboxing classics between 2017 and 2018.

Elite striking athletes, Poatan and Belgaroui have faced each other three times in the sport. In 2017, the pair met in the final of the Glory tournament, and the Brazilian prevailed by unanimous decision. That same year, Alex, now the company's middleweight champion, retaliated in a controversial match.

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In the first round, the fighters exchanged blows furiously. After the round ended, Belgaroui landed a punch on the Brazilian and broke into a smile. In the second round, the fighters continued their attack. In the final seconds, Poatan blitzed the Dutchman, which rocked him. Smelling blood, the São Paulo native went in to seal the fight and, in doing so, landed a punch on his opponent after the round ended.

Immediately, Belgaroui, angry and disapproving of what had happened, went to demand satisfaction from the Brazilian and ended up touching the referee's face, who tried to restrain him. In the third round, Alex continued to gain the upper hand, attacking Yousri with powerful blows and opening your eyebrowAs the athlete began to bleed, the doctor and referee ended the fight, declaring the Brazilian the winner by technical knockout. A year later, Poatan defeated the Dutchman again, this time without controversy, by knockout in the first round.

Watch the second fight between the athletes

End of the rivalry

It's true that, despite their kickboxing trilogy, the strikers were never at odds. However, their relationship changed completely after Poatan made the permanent switch to MMA in 2020. Interestingly, Belgaroui also began his journey in the new sport the following season.

From then on, the ties between professionals became closer, largely due to Glover Teixeira and Plínio Cruz. Just as he did with Alex, the Minas Gerais native welcomed Yousri to his gym, Teixeira MMA & Fitness, in Connecticut, USA. In turn, the São Paulo native became the duo's main coach. Thus, the kickboxing rivals became friends and training partners.

And the group's unity has been a talking point, as the team is recognized as a winner in MMA. Throughout Poatan's successful career in the UFC, the Dutchman was an extremely important figure in his preparation, serving as his main training partner. Now, it's Belgaroui who seeks to grow within the organization and benefit from the renowned striker's teachings, experience, and technique.

In fact, the Dutchman impressed in his octagon debut, last Saturday (18), by knocking out Azamat Bekoev in the third round. Delighted with the victory, Belgaroui made a point of thanking his friend for all his help. Poatan, meanwhile, celebrated his former rival's victory and, confident in his partner's progress, warned fans to keep an eye on him.