Poatan faces his opponent before the fight. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram/UFC_Brasil
Alex Poatan suffered a painful defeat in the octagon at UFC Casa Branca , held this Sunday (14), however his biggest headache comes from outside the octagon. Knocked out by Ciryl Gane in the co-main event, the Brazilian is the target of accusations of sexual assault, stalking and domestic abuse.
According to a report by 'CBC News', published on June 14th, the allegations come from his ex-girlfriend, Merle Christine. The German woman filed a domestic violence lawsuit in Miami in July 2025, seeking protective measures against the athlete.
According to the article, court documents show that Merle stated that Poatan exhibited controlling behavior throughout their relationship, which lasted about a year. Among the accusations are coercive sexual encounters, stalking, constant surveillance, and an episode in which, according to her, the fighter forcibly restrained her and prevented her from leaving.
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The Brazilian man's ex-girlfriend also reported that his behavior had become more aggressive after she moved into his house. According to Merle, Poatan's friends had pressured her to stay in the relationship for financial reasons.
“The moment I walked through his door, his behavior changed. When he found out I gave up everything for him, everything changed,” Merle told CBC News.
"He's a money-making machine," she added, explaining her decision to end the relationship.
It's worth noting that, after Poatan's defeat, Christine shared the article that brought the case to light on her Instagram stories.
Alex Poatan denies accusations.
According to CBC News, Alex Poatan denied all accusations during a deposition given to authorities in January. The UFC star stated that he never assaulted his former partner and disputed the allegation of false imprisonment.
"The door was open. She could have left whenever she wanted," he declared under oath.
Poatan was knocked out at UFC Casa Branca.
Cyril Gane defeated Alex Poatan at UFC White House . Photo: X / UFC News
Inside the octagon, Alex Poatan was unable to replicate the performance that made him famous in the middleweight (up to 83,9 kg) and light heavyweight (up to 93 kg) categories. Against Ciryl Gane , the Brazilian struggled to find his range and ended up being dominated by the Frenchman's movement.
In the second round, Poatan was hit by a precise jab that sent him to the ground. Gane then connected with powerful elbows, forcing a stoppage and securing a technical knockout victory.
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