In another life, Joshua “Flyin Hawaiian” Perreira would have been a paleontologist. In this one, he’s an MMA fighter with a Megalodon tooth on his shelf, Kaiju tattooed in Japanese on his arm, and a score to settle in Bangkok, Thailand.

The undefeated 29-year-old returns to the global stage against his American compatriot, Gilbert Nakatani, in flyweight MMA action at ONE Fight Night 42 on Prime Video, which broadcasts live in U.S. primetime from the iconic Lumpinee Stadium on Friday, April 10.

Away from the global stage, the “Flyin Hawaiian” is as likely to be found in a museum as he is on the mats. 

His fossil collection is the kind that demands a second look. The Megalodon tooth alone would stop most people in their tracks. Then, there’s the Mosasaurus jawbone and the Trilobites. 

Perreira has carefully assembled an archive of prehistoric life, built piece by piece over the years. And like most great obsessions, it started with a movie:

“I think it was Jurassic Park that originally got me into that. Being able to just see it on the big screen, watching Dr. Alan Grant digging up fossils, and watching Indiana Jones growing up too. I guess I ended up just being interested in it.”

The connection runs deeper than most fans would expect. Jurassic Park wasn’t just a movie Perreira watched on a screen. It was filmed in his backyard. 

Growing up in Hawaii, he could visit the actual locations where those iconic scenes were shot, a detail that transformed an already beloved film into something deeply personal.

He told ONE Championship:

“Being able to go to Kualoa Ranch to see everything, like, ‘Oh, shoot, I was there. They filmed it right here.’ And it’s just a generational movie that everybody loves.”

From there, the passion expanded into museums, hand-drawn journals, sketches of prehistoric creatures, and eventually fossil hunting. 

When he first moved to Ohio, Perreira would make regular trips to a place called Park of Roses, where he dug up old seashells and fragments of the ancient world. 

The hobby became a ritual, and the collection followed:

“I started going to museums, making little journals for myself, drawing pictures, and stuff like that. I was just always a fan. 

“That excitement of seeing something like a fossil is like a snapshot of the past. [These days] you only see elephants, deer, and stuff like that. I always wondered what it would be like to live back then. I was always fascinated by it.”

From Fossils To Godzilla: A Lifelong Love Affair

The fossil collection is one thing, but the Godzilla devotion is another matter entirely. Joshua Perreira has been a Godzilla fan since childhood, a lifelong commitment that has found its way permanently onto his skin. 

King Kong on the inside of his arm. The Jurassic Park logo on the back. Kaiju in Japanese script. A Godzilla piece for good measure. The ink tells you everything about how seriously he takes this.

Ask him why Godzilla, and the answer is as direct as a right hand:

“Why not? Godzilla shows up, destroys some stuff, and leaves. What else? He stands on business.”

There is, of course, a deeper layer to it. 

The monsters Perreira has always been drawn to – unstoppable forces of nature, creatures that cannot be reasoned with or contained – mirror the qualities he chases on the global stage. And it isn’t a coincidence either.

He said:

“I’m a lifelong fan, just an uncontrollable creature from nature, like a category five [hurricane] or something that cannot be stopped. And when I’m in the ring, I’m a freaking monster. I’m a kaiju. I’m a thing of legend. I’m something that cannot be stopped.”

For someone who has spent years studying prehistoric creatures, built a respectable fossil collection, and permanently committed his devotion to ink, the comparison to the creatures themselves is unavoidable.

Pressed on whether he identifies as a dinosaur, Perreira draws the line. But what would be his favorite? Well, that one is fairly simple.

The “Flyin Hawaiian” offered:

“I’d say Allosaurus or Stegosaurus for my favorite. Stegosaurus has big spikes and plates on its back. Even though it’s a plant-eater, it’s still pretty damn sweet. It’s got thagomizers on its tail to keep all the meat eaters away. And hey, Triceratops is still pretty cool.”