Credit: Ali Sahib, Chronicle.lu

Luxembourg-based professional fighter Rivaldo Pereira secured a first-round TKO victory over Nigeria’s Kunle Lawal at Professional Fighters League (PFL) Africa 1 in Pretoria in April 2026, advancing to the semi-finals of the organisation’s welterweight tournament.

Born in Guinea-Bissau and raised between Guinea-Bissau and Portugal, the 28-year-old fighter has lived in Luxembourg since the age of seventeen and describes the country as his home. Pereira fights under the name “Don Pepas”, which comes from his middle name. He is a former IBJJF European champion (2020), Portuguese national MMA champion (2023) and Luxembourg national Muay Thai champion (2024).

Following his victory at PFL Africa 1, Chronicle.lu spoke with Rivaldo Pereira about the significance of the result, his ambitions in professional MMA and the development of combat sports in Luxembourg.

“This victory means a lot because it was my debut in the PFL organisation and I finished the fight in the first round,” said Rivaldo Pereira. “I will do everything to win the championship.”

The Luxembourg-based fighter explained that the victory secured his place in the semi-finals. Pereira noted that he is now two wins away from winning the competition, whose overall winner will receive a $100,000 prize, and added that a strong performance in the tournament could also help him secure a long-term place in the organisation. According to him, the semi-final is expected to take place around the beginning of September, although the date has not yet been confirmed.

“Luxembourg is my home now,” said the 28-year-old fighter, who moved to the country as a teenager after spending his childhood in Guinea-Bissau and several years in Portugal. “Everything I do is here. I train here. I do everything here in the country. So I want to represent Luxembourg more.”

Pereira explained that his professional MMA journey effectively began in Luxembourg, where he found the stability and conditions necessary to pursue combat sports seriously. Although he had wanted to become a fighter from a young age, he only started training regularly at the age of eighteen or nineteen.

His first discipline was Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under coach Fabrício Ribeiro, with whom he later developed into a multiple-time BJJ champion. According to Pereira, the transition to MMA came after his coach encouraged him to accept an MMA fight opportunity in Luxembourg. At the time, he mainly had grappling experience and subsequently began training striking disciplines including boxing and Muay Thai to adapt to MMA competition.

Today, “Don Pepas” combines Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai and wrestling as part of his MMA preparation. He noted that although he occasionally travels abroad to train with other clubs, the entire preparation camp for his recent PFL Africa 1 fight was completed in Luxembourg.

Asked about athletes who inspire him, Rivaldo Pereira pointed to PFL chairman and UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, saying he admires “the whole history” of the Cameroonian and French fighter’s rise from Africa to becoming a world champion. Pereira also named former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya as one of his role models, praising the Nigerian-New Zealand fighter’s “style” and movement inside the cage. “I really aspired to be like him one day,” he said.

Commenting on combat sports in Luxembourg, Rivaldo Pereira said the country currently has “very good fighters” in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai and MMA.

Looking ahead, Rivaldo Pereira said his long-term ambition remains to compete in the UFC, which he described as “the top MMA organisation in the world”. However, he stressed that his immediate focus is on continuing his journey in the PFL. “For now I want to make history in PFL and one day I want to go to UFC,” he said.

Asked what advice he would give to young athletes and aspiring fighters, Rivaldo Pereira highlighted the importance of discipline and consistency. “Whatever you want in your life, if you pay the price, you'll get it,” he said. Speaking specifically about MMA, he added: “The price is training, having discipline, taking care of your health, eating good food and being consistent. For me, this is the price you have to pay to become someone in sport.”

(Caption: Rivaldo Pereira, MMA Fighter; Fabrício Ribeiro, Coach of Rivaldo Pereira)