Athletes
The Reintroduction Of Alex Perez
Former Flyweight Title Challenger Primed For Third 2024 Appearance After Finally Getting Back In The Win Column
Over a three-and-a-half-year stretch following his first-round stoppage win over divisional pioneer Jussier Formiga at UFC 250, Alex Perez competed twice and endured 10 different opponent changes or fight cancellations for one reason or another.
There were injuries, weight misses, opponent changes, and medical scares, all wrapped around a loss to Deiveson Figueiredo in a title fight at UFC 255 and a first-round defeat at the hands of current champ Alexandre Pantoja at UFC 277.
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“It was hard at the beginning, but it was good to realize on my end that I don’t need fighting; fighting doesn’t define me as a person,” Perez said of the three-plus year odyssey that turned him from a contender to a question mark in the flyweight division. “Everybody says, ‘But you’re a fighter!’ and it’s like, ‘Yeah, but I’m also a dad, I’m also a business owner, I’m also a friend, brother, whatever.’
“Once I got that in my head, it made everything easier,” continued the 32-year-old, who headlines this weekend at the UFC APEX against undefeated prospect Tatsuro Taira. “If you look at my career, not too many people fight for a UFC title, so if I had to hang it up when all that stuff was going on, I couldn’t be too upset about my career.
“I did stuff people only dream of, so once I got that in my head, it was okay, it made things a lot easier.”
Full Fight | Alex Perez vs Matheus Nicolau
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Full Fight | Alex Perez vs Matheus Nicolau
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His long wait to return to action ended in March, when he squared off with rising star Muhammad Mokaev.
A competitive fight throughout, all three judges scored the bout the exact same, with Mokaev winning the first, Perez taking the second, and the undefeated hopeful claiming the third to secure the victory. Though not the outcome he was hoping for after an extended time on the sidelines, the California-based contender acknowledged it was a solid return to action and a quality reminder of where he fits within the divisional hierarchy.
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“It felt good,” began Perez, who carries a 25-8 record into this weekend’s main event matchup with Taira. “It was a loss, but it was a close fight, and I was just happy to show that I can still compete with the best in the division.
“I had been out for so long, there were a lot of questions about it, so I’m glad I answered everything in that fight and then aced the test the next time against Nicolau.”
Seven weeks after returning against Mokaev, the Dana White’s Contender Series graduate and former title challenger was right back in the Octagon, stepping in for Manel Kape on short notice against Brazilian Matheus Nicolau.
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From the outset, Perez’ was dialed in, throwing in combinations and dictating the terms of engagement in the main event pairing between the two Top 10 mainstays. After stinging Nicolau with a right hand that backed him to the fence early in the second round, a second overhand right detonated on his chin soon after, ending the fight and Perez’ 1,422-day odyssey between UFC victories.
“It always feels good to win,” Perez said with a smile when asked about finally getting back into the win column. “Every fight is the most important one. Obviously, coming off a three-fight skid, I was definitely happy, but I think the most emotion you get out of me is just being in the cage.
“When I got home, all my friends were in and everything, and I was like, ‘Get the f*** outta my house; I’m ready to go to sleep!’” he added, laughing. “I don’t celebrate too much — just hang out with my son — but it was cool. I’m glad I got the win, but now I’m ready to move on and get to the next one.”
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Previously booked to face Tagir Ulanbekov before he jumped in against Nicolau, finishing in relative quick fashion while taking no appreciable damage allowed Perez to keep the June 15 date with the talented Russian, only for the UFC to shuffle the deck, moving Perez into this weekend’s main event pairing with Taira while matching Ulanbekov up with another promising flyweight prospect, Joshua Van, in Saturday’s other fascinating battle in the 125-pound weight class.
For Perez, there was no hesitation in moving forward with the agreed-upon fight with Ulanbekov or switching into a clash with Taira, as the former wrestler has always and will always operate from a “take on whoever is placed across from you” mindset.
“I tell people all the time, ‘I don’t get paid to sit on the couch; I get paid to fight,’” said Perez, who has faced or been paired with a steady diet of the top talent in the flyweight division since establishing himself as a contender in 2020. “I’ve gotta get in there while I’m nice and healthy. The last couple years, I’ve been injured and stuff like that, so to be healthy and do what I do, I can’t complain; I’m grateful.
“When I first got into the UFC, my mindset was, ‘just keep winning fights and they can’t deny you a title shot,’ so that’s what I’m doing. People are like, ‘You’re fighting underneath you’ and it’s like, ‘Yeah man, I gotta fight everybody in the division and make a statement, so whatever is next is next.’
“That’s the mindset I grew up with in wrestling,” he added. “At the end of the day, you’ve got to fight everybody.”
UFC VEGAS 93 FULL FIGHTS: Perez vs Nicolau | Taira vs Hernandez
This weekend, that means stepping in with Taira, who arrived in the UFC with an unblemished record and tons of promise and has maintained both through his first five appearances inside the Octagon.
Now 15-0 as a professional, the 24-year-old standout from Okinawa, Japan struggled down the stretch of his short-notice matchup with Edgar Chairez at UFC 290 last July but turned in his most impressive performance to date five months later, blowing through Carlos Hernandez to move to 5-0 under the UFC banner.
“I feel like he’s a mix of a little bit of Mokaev with a little bit of Nicolau,” Perez said, offering his assessment of Taira before giving his thoughts on the pairing. “He’s grappling-based, but he’s very good on the feet, as well.
“If you look at the guys I was gonna fight and the guys I’ve fought, it’s the best guys in the division; I’ve never said no to a fight, and he’s the next one up,” continued the fifth-ranked flyweight contender. “I like the matchup — I feel like I’m better in the wrestling department, in the striking department I feel like it’s pretty even; he’s hurt a couple guys.
“I feel like grappling is his base and my wrestling will help me to keep it where I want it to be.”
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Saturday’s contest will be Perez’ third fight in 16 weeks, a run that historically active competitors like Donald Cerrone would have to respect, and a second consecutive victory would certainly leave him in prime position for another main event assignment or prime pairing whenever he’s ready to return.
But once this one is in the books, the plan is to press pause for a minute and take a little summer vacation with his son.
At least that’s the plan for now.
“I gotta take some time; I need to hang out with my son,” Perez said with a laugh when asked if fans can expect another seven-week turnaround following Saturday’s contest. “I split custody of my son, his mom is awesome and understands this job, takes the heavy load while I’m in camp, so I wanna get a little break, hang out with my son, take him to go watch Monster Jam, enjoy some Korean barbecue.
“But I’m always in the gym, staying ready, so if something pops up, might as well.”
UFC Fight Night: Perez vs Taira took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on June 15, 2024. See the final Prelim and Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
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