Michel Pereira (fighter)
Michel Fagner Lima Pereira (born October 6, 1993) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist currently competing in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Professional fighter since 2011, previously competed for 300 Sparta, Akhmat Fight Club, Serbian Battle Championship, Jungle Fight, Xtreme Fighting Championships and Road Fighting Championship. He is a former Serbian Battle Championship welterweight champion.
Biography
Pereira was born in Tucuma, Para State, Brazil. He began training in karate at the age of 12, and from the age of 16 supplemented his skills with Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Career in mixed martial arts
Early career
Michel Pereira began his professional career in mixed martial arts, competing in regional promotions in his home state of Brazil, Para, as well as in 300 Sparta, having a professional record of 9-3 with notable wins over veterans Daziel da Silva Jr. and Silmar Nunes. These early victories gave him the chance to take on bigger promotions. Like Jungle Fight and XFC.
In his first and only fight in Jungle Fight, he faced Junior Orgullo. He won by unanimous decision.
In the next fight he lost to Junior de Oliveira in Iron Man CF. After defeating Cayo Robson, Michel Pereira signed with XFC. In the preliminary duel of XFC International 7, Pereira faced Geraldo Coelho. Responding to the pressure of the opponent with clinches and takedowns, Pereira ended the fight in the third round with a guillotine choke. He fought next at the preliminary stage of XFC International 9, in which he met with Cairo Rocha. Using various techniques such as wheelbows and flying knees, Michel took the win via unanimous decision.
These two victories secured his main fight against Carlston Harris, which Pereira lost by unanimous decision.
After that, Pereira played in various promotions, in which he lost by decision to Abubakar Vagaev, Ismael de Jesus and Kurbanjang Tuluosibaka, and also defeated Stanley Barboza by triangle choke, as well as decisions against Renato Gomes and Cristiano Estela Rios.
Serbian Fighting Championship and Road FC
His 16-8 record gave him a shot at the vacant SBC Welterweight Championship against Luca Stresoski at SBC 15 on December 8, 2017. Pereira won by majority decision. Pereira was scheduled to defend his SBC title against Laerte Costa at SBC 17 on April 18, 2018. He won the fight via submission in the first round.
Having moved from SBC, Pereira was scheduled to face Carlos Perira at Arena Fight 8 on May 12, 2018 in a 176 lbs bout. The fight ended inconclusively due to a cage malfunction.
Pereira next fought at 176 pounds against Ryul Kim at HEAT 42 on May 27, 2018. This fight was Pereira’s debut in South Korea. Pereira won by TKO in the first round. Pereira’s next fight was against Hea Jun Young at Road FC 48. He won via TKO in the first round. Pereira next fought in South Korea, scheduling a fight with Batmunkh Burenzorig at HEAT 43 on September 17, 2018. Although he won the fight via “read-naked” choke submission, the result was later canceled as a no-contest due to Pereira missing weight.
Pereira was scheduled to make a second defense of his SBC Middleweight Championship against Dusko Todorovic at SBC 19 on December 1, 2018. Todorovic won the fight via TKO in the first round.
Pereira was scheduled to face Won Joon Choi at Road FC 051 XX on December 15, 2018 in a 190lb bout. Pereira won the fight via knockout at 41 seconds. Pereira was scheduled to face heavyweight Dae Sung Kim at Road FC 052 on February 23, 2019 in the Openweight division. Pereira defeated Kim via TKO in the second round.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Pereira’s first fight in the UFC was scheduled for May 18, 2019 at UFC Fight Night 152 against Danny Roberts. Pereira used unorthodox punching techniques, including a showtime kick attempt and a superman punch, before winning the fight via knockout early in the first round. Pereira was awarded Performance of the Night.
Pereira’s next fight was scheduled for UFC Fight Night 158 against Sergey Khandozhko. Sergey had problems with his visa and was replaced by Canadian Tristan Connelly Pereira missed weight by 2 pounds. He lost by unanimous decision against a smaller opponent who fought on short notice. M MA Junkie called this fight “Upset of the Year”.
The fight was awarded Fight of the Night, which Pereira was not eligible for as he missed weight, which meant Pereira forfeited 30% of his purse as well as his share of the $50,000 of the FOTN award.
Pereira’s third UFC opponent was Diego Sanchez, whom he faced at UFC Fight Night 167 on February 15, 2020. Pereira dominated Sanchez for most of the fight, but was disqualified for delivering an illegal knee to Sanchez while he was on the ground.
Pereira faced Zelim Imadaev on September 5, 2020 at UFC Fight Night 176. During the weigh-ins, controversy arose: Imadaev punched Pereira in the face and both had to be restrained by event staff. Pereira dominated the fight, hitting Imadaev several times back and then winning the fight via submission in the third round. This win earned him the Performance of the Night award.
Pereira faced Chaos Williams on December 19, 2020 at UFC Fight Night 183. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Pereira faced Niko Price on July 10, 2021 at UFC 264. He won via unanimous decision.
Championships and achievements
Mixed martial arts
Ultimate Fighting Championship
- Performance of the Night (two times) vs. Danny Roberts, Zelim Imadaev
Serbian Battle Championship
Serbian Battle Welterweight Championship (one time)
- One successful title defense
Record in mixed martial arts
| Breaking professional records | Hide | |
|---|---|---|
| 38 matches | 25 wins | 11 losses |
| Knockout | 10 | 1 |
| By presentation | 7 | 1 |
| By decision | 8 | 8 |
| By disqualification | 0 | 1 |
| No contests | 2 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defeat | 26–11 (2) | Niko Price | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 264 | July 10, 2021 | 3 | 5 hours | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA | |
| Defeat | 25–11 (2) | Chaos Williams | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Neil | December 19, 2020 | 3 | 5 hours | Las Vegas, Nevada , USA | |
| Win | 24–11 (2) | Zelim Imadaev | Serve (rear naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai | September 5, 2020 | 3 | 4:39 | Las Vegas, Nevada, USA | Performance of the night. |
| Loss | 23–11 (2) | Diego Sanchez | DQ (wrong knee) | UFC Fight Night: Anderson vs. Blachowicz 2 | February 15, 2020 | 3 | 3:09 | Rio Rancho, New Mexico , USA | |
| Loss | 23–10 (2) | Tristan Connelly | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs Gaethje | September 14, 2019 | 3 | 5 hours | Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | Rearweight Scramble (172 lbs); Pereira missed the weight. Fight of the night. |
| Win | 23–9 (2) | Danny Roberts | KO (flying knee and kick) | UFC Fight Night: dos Anjos vs. Lee | 18 May 2019 | 1 | 1:47 | Rochester, New York , USA | Return to welterweight. Performance of the night. |
| Defeat | 22–9 (2) | Dae Sung Kim | TKO (knees) | Road FC 052 | February 23, 2019 | 2 | 1:02 | Seoul, South Korea | Open weight match. |
| Win | 21–9 (2) | Won Joon Choi | KO (punch) | Road FC 051 XX | December 15, 2018 | 1 | 0:41 | Seoul , South Korea | Rearweight Fight (190 lbs). |
| Loss | 20–9 (2) | Dusko Todorovic | TKO (punches) | Serbian Battle Championship 19 | December 1, 2018 | 1 | 4:32 | Novi Sad, Serbia | For the SBC Middleweight Championship. |
| NC | 20–8 (2) | Batmunkh Burenzorig | NC (inverted) | WARM 43 | September 17, 2018 | 5 | 1:46 | Aichi, Japan | For the vacant HEAT Welterweight Championship. Initially, Pereira won by submission (rear naked choke); overturned due to missing weight. |
| Defeat | 20–8 (1) | Hee Jun Yang | TKO (knee and punches) | Road FC 48 | July 28, 2018 | 3 | 1:48 | Wonju , South Korea | Middleweight fight. |
| Defeat | 19–8 (1) | Ryul Kim | TKO | WARM 42 | May 27, 2018 | 1 | 5 hours | Aichi , Japan | Fight in the interceptor (176 pounds). |
| NC | 18–8 (1) | Carlos Perira | NC (cell malfunction) | Arena Battle 8 | May 12, 2018 | 1 | 3:03 | Redensan, Brazil | Fight in the interceptor (176 pounds). |
| Win | 18–8 | Laerte Costa | Serve (rear naked choke) | SBC 17 | April 28, 2018 | 1 | 4:02 | Odžaci , Serbia | Defended the SBC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 17–8 | Luca Stresoski | Decision (majority) | SBC 15 | December 8, 2017 | 5 | 5 hours | Novi Sad , Serbia | Won the vacant SBC Welterweight Championship. |
| Loss | 16–8 | Kurbanjiang Tuluosibake | Decision (unanimous) | Kunlun fight MMA 15 | October 3, 2017 | 5 | 5 hours | Alashan, Mongolia | |
| Defeat | 16–7 | Renato Gomes | Decision (unanimous) | TAURA MMA 1 | September 16, 2017 | 5 | 5 hours | Wiamao , Brazil | |
| Defeat | 15–7 | Cristiano Estela Rios | Decision (unanimous) | Fusion FC 24 | December 21, 2016 | 5 | 5 hours | Lima, Peru | |
| Loss | 14–7 | Ismael de Jesus | Decision (unanimous) | Shooto Brasil 67 | November 11, 2016 | 5 | 5 hours | Rio de Janeiro , Brazil | For the Shooto Brazil Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 14–6 | Stanley Barbosa | Serve (arm and triangle choke) | Revelation FC 4 | May 13, 2016 | 1 | 4:56 | Belem , Brazil | |
| Loss | 13–6 | Abubakar Vagaev | Decision (unanimous) | Akhmat Fight Show 18 | April 9, 2016 | 5 | 5 hours | Grozny, Russia | |
| Loss | 13–5 | Carlston Harris | Decision (unanimous) | XFC International 12 | November 28, 2015 | 5 | 5 hours | Sao Paulo , Brazil | |
| Win | 13–4 | Cairo Rocha | Decision (unanimous) | XFC International 9 | March 14, 2015 | 5 | 5 hours | Sao Paulo, Brazil | |
| Win | 12–4 | Geraldo Coelho | Serve (guillotine choke) | XFC International 7 | November 1, 2014 | 1 | 2:40 | Sao Paulo , Brazil | |
| Win | 11–4 | Caio Robson Silva | TKO (retirement) | Arena Battle 6 | May 31, 2014 | 1 | 5 hours | Redensan , Brazil | |
| Loss | 10–4 | Zosimar de Oliveria Silva Jr. | Serve (armbar) | Iron Man CF 18 | May 24, 2014 | 2 | 5 hours | Belem, Brazil | |
| Win | 10–3 | Alfredo Souza | Decision (unanimous) | Jungle Fight 65 | February 2, 2014 | 3 | 5 hours | Madre de Deus , Brazil | |
| Defeat | 9–3 | Sylmar Nunez | Submission (triangle choke) | Tukuma Fight Show 5 | December 21, 2013 | 1 | 4:18 | Tukuma , Brazil | |
| Win | 8–3 | Jaime Cordova | Decision (unanimous) | 300 Sparta MMA 4 | October 10, 2013 | 3 | 5 hours | Lima , Peru | |
| Win | 7–3 | Daziel Serafrim da Silva Jr. | Decision (unanimous) | Green battle | September 28, 2013 | 3 | 5 hours | Paragominas , Brazil | |
| Win | 6–3 | Renato Puente Flores | Serve (armbar) | 300 Sparta MMA 3 | September 28, 2013 | 1 | 5 hours | Lima, Peru | |
| Win | 5–3 | Reginaldo Ferreira Alves | TKO | Arena Sport Boy | August 10, 2013 | 1 | 4:12 | Shinguara , Brazil | |
| Defeat | 4–3 | Francini dos Santos Bessa | TKO (doctor’s stop) | Marajo Fight 5 | July 13, 2013 | 1 | 1:52 | Sure , Brazil | |
| Loss | 3–3 | Rubenilton Perreira | Decision (unanimous) | MMA Dragon Fighters | April 6, 2013 | 3 | 5 hours | Orilandia do Norte , Brazil | |
| Loss | 3–2 | Rubenilton Perreira | Decision (unanimous) | Tukuma Fight Show 3 | March 30, 2013 | 3 | 5 hours | Tucuma, Brazil | |
| Loss | 3–1 | Bruno Leandro Soares | Decision (unanimous) | Colisão Top Fight | January 12, 2013 | 3 | 5 hours | Tukuma , Brazil | |
| Defeat | 3–0 | Civaldo Alves da Silva | Decision (unanimous) | Tukuma Fighting Show 2 | June 15, 2012 | 3 | 5 hours | Tukuma , Brazil | |
| Defeat | 2–0 | Magno Silva | TKO (punches) | Tukuma Fight Show 1 | January 21, 2012 | 2 | 5 hours | Tukuma , Brazil | |
| Defeat | 1–0 | Edson Diaz | TKO (punches) | Dragon Fighting Championship | December 22, 2011 | 1 | 3:20 | Orilandia do Norte, Brazil |
External links
Michel Pereyra in UFChttps://ru.ufc.com/athlete/michel-pereyra
Michel Pereira on Sherdoghttps://www.sherdog.com/fighter/Michel-Pereira-135705
Michel Pereira at Tapology.comhttps://www.tapology.com/fightcenter/fighters/55575-michel-pereira
Michel Pereira in Fight Matrixhttps://www.fightmatrix.com/fighter-profile/-/116266/
