It is safe to say that Alex Pereira was far from pleased after fellow Brazilian Michel Pereira was released by the UFC following his controversial loss to Shara Magomedov at UFC Baku. The middleweight bout was overshadowed by multiple officiating controversies, with referee Herb Dean issuing repeated warnings to Magomedov but never deducting a point despite multiple fouls.
For the former three-time champion, it was another frustrating example of what he believes has been inconsistent officiating from the veteran referee. During the fight, Dean twice warned Magomedov in the opening round for pulling Michel Pereira’s hair during grappling exchanges.
Between rounds, he even used a translator to inform Magomedov’s corner that another foul would result in a point deduction. However, when the Russian later poked Pereira in the eye, Dean halted the action to allow recovery but again stopped short of taking a point, opting for another warning instead.
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That decision ultimately proved pivotal. Michel Pereira went on to lose a unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the contest 29-28 in Magomedov’s favor. Had Dean deducted a point for the repeated fouls, the fight would have resulted in 28-28 scorecards across the board, ending in a majority draw instead of a defeat.
The controversial outcome prompted Alex Pereira to criticize Herb Dean on social media, branding the referee a coward. For ‘Poatan’, the situation struck an even deeper nerve. His frustrations with Dean began on June 14 at UFC Freedom 250, where he suffered a second-round TKO loss to Ciryl Gane in his bid to become the UFC’s first three-division champion.
Pereira left the Octagon believing Dean mishandled the stoppage in that fight, and Michel Pereira’s release only added to his dissatisfaction. Reacting to the UFC’s most recent decision, the Brazilian posted a lengthy statement on social media in defense of his countryman.
He wrote, “They could have sent this guy earlier, and maybe it would have been acceptable. But paying such a high price because of a refereeing mistake is impossible to accept! The UFC has already done, and continues to do, everything I ask within the organization’s reach.”
Pereira continued, “But it’s sad to see this and not be upset. Many athletes don’t say anything, but tomorrow it could be you going through this kind of situation, and there will be no point in sending me a message asking for help. It’s sad that not even the UFC has control over this, and because of that, our sport keeps being tarnished.”
He concluded the post with a tongue-in-cheek remark about his own loss to Ciryl Gane, joking that it should not count as an MMA defeat. “My kickboxing record is 40 fights: 33 wins and 7 losses. My MMA record is 16 fights: 13 wins and 3 losses. My Vale Tudo record is 1 fight and 1 loss.”
Pereira is expected to remain at heavyweight for his planned return later this year, with Madison Square Garden in November emerging as the likely destination. As for Michel Pereira, he took a far more gracious approach to his departure, releasing a heartfelt message thanking the promotion that helped elevate his career.
He wrote, “I have nothing but gratitude in my heart for the UFC. Everything I have and have achieved came through the UFC.”
The 32-year-old exits the promotion after losing four of his last five fights. He leaves the UFC with a 10-6 Octagon record, seven post-fight performance bonuses, and three Fight of the Night awards, while his overall professional record now stands at 32-15. Where ‘Demolidor’ lands next remains to be seen.
The PFL appears to be the most obvious destination, while the rapidly growing bare-knuckle boxing scene could also present an intriguing opportunity for the entertaining Brazilian.
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