Michel Pereira dazzled Brazilian fans at UFC 301 without breaking a sweat. His performance? Nothing short of spectacular.
In a moment that had everyone on the edge of their seats, Pereira executed a controversial backflip. His knee narrowly missed the head of his grounded opponent, Ihor Potieria. The crowd went wild.
Then, bam! “Demolidor” locked in a guillotine choke, forcing a tap just 54 seconds into the first round. The move was clean – no illegal strike. Pereira walked away with a cool $50,000 “Performance of the Night” bonus.
Post-fight, Pereira dropped a little bombshell on Sherdog.com. Turns out, he and Potieria had sparred at Xtreme Couture before facing off in the octagon. “But I didn’t show the real Michel Pereira,” he admitted. It was just light sparring, nothing serious.
Pereira’s backflip, which he calls “Fumo Mix,” could’ve ended differently. A knee to Potieria’s head might have disqualified him. “I didn’t see the complete video yet,” Pereira confessed. “But I don’t recall hitting his head.”
He’s unapologetic about his flashy fighting style. “That’s how I fight. I’m a UFC showman,” Pereira declared. He’s used the “Fumo Mix” four times in the UFC and plans to keep it in his arsenal.
But wait, there’s more. Pereira teased other uniquely named moves he’s itching to showcase. “CANGA LEITÃO, MASTIGADA DA JUMENTA, REVESTREZ, BROTA BEBÊ,” he listed. Fans can only guess what those entail.
After the fight, Pereira’s heading to Para state for a bit of horseback riding. A celebration 2,000 miles from Rio, but close to his heart. “That’s how I’ll celebrate,” he said. Yet, he’s eager for the UFC to call him back. No scratches, ready to go.
Pereira’s not naming names for his next fight. He’s learned that calling out opponents doesn’t work. “So I will wait for their choice,” he shrugged. His goal? Keep delivering jaw-dropping performances for the fans. That’s the Michel Pereira way.