# Ailín Pérez

Ailín Luciana Pérez (born 5 October 1994) is an Argentinian professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the women's Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of 18 February 2025, she is #8 in the UFC women's bantamweight rankings.

## Background

Pérez started in martial arts at the age of 11 in Zárate, with kung fu and sanda, and at the age of 20 she decided to move to Buenos Aires and do some Brazilian jiu jitsu (BJJ), to get more into MMA. Finally, she turned professional in 2018.

## Mixed martial arts career
### Early career

Pérez won the women's bantamweight title of the Brazilian company Samurai Fight House in August 2021 by defeating Alessandra Tainara with a head kick. But she lost it in November 2021 against Tamires Vidal, to whom she applied an illegal knee.

### Ultimate Fighting Championship

Pérez debuted in the UFC on September 3, 2022. It was scheduled for her to face Zarah Fairn Dos Santos at UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Tuivasa. However, Fairn was withdrawn from the event for unknown reasons and replaced by Stephanie Egger. Pérez lost the fight by rear-naked choke submission in the second round.
Pérez faced Ashlee Evans-Smith on July 15, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 224. She won the fight by unanimous decision.
Pérez faced Lucie Pudilová on November 18, 2023, at UFC Fight Night 232. She won the fight by unanimous decision.
Despite a prior altercation, Pérez ended up facing Joselyne Edwards on June 1, 2024, at UFC 302. She won the fight once again by unanimous decision.
Pérez faced Darya Zheleznyakova on September 28, 2024 at UFC Fight Night 243. At the weigh-ins, Pérez weighed in at 136.5 pounds, half a pound over the bantamweight non-title fight limit. She appeared weak and trembling due to the effects of weight-cutting, despite still missing her target weight. Her appearance made headlines and added concern about the UFC's weight-cutting process. The bout proceeded at catchweight and Perez was fined 20 percent of her purse, which went to her opponent Zheleznyakova. Pérez won the fight via an arm-triangle choke submission in the first round.
Pérez faced Karol Rosa on January 18, 2025, at UFC 311. She won the fight by unanimous decision.

## Controversies
### Altercation with Joselyne Edwards

Before UFC Fight Night 232, Pérez and Joselyne Edwards had an altercation at a training session.

### Twerking celebration

On September 28, 2024, during the UFC Fight Night 243 event in Paris, Pérez was criticized for celebrating her victory against Darya Zheleznyakova by twerking in her opponent's face after submitting her in the first round. The action was deemed disrespectful by figures such as Ariel Helwani. Pérez, unapologetically, justified her behavior by claiming that Zhelezniakova had made offensive comments before the fight. The incident also had repercussions in France, where she was reportedly suspended for her actions, something the fighter mentioned on her social media by sharing a screenshot of an article confirming the sanction.

## Personal life

Pérez is a single mother and has a 7-year-old son.

## Championships and accomplishments

* Ultimate Fighting Championship
** Tied (Jéssica Andrade) for most takedowns landed in a UFC Women's bout (10) (vs. Ashlee Evans-Smith)
*** Most takedowns landed in a UFC Women's Bantamweight bout (10) (vs. Ashlee Evans-Smith)
** Tied (Miesha Tate & Raquel Pennington) for third longest win streak in UFC Women's Bantamweight division history (5)
** Third most takedowns landed in UFC Women's Bantamweight division history (22)
** Second fewest strikes absorbed-per-minute in UFC Women's Bantamweight division history (1.83)
** Third highest top-position percentage in UFC Women's Bantamweight division history (40.0%)
** Fifth highest significant strike accuracy in UFC Women's Bantamweight division history (55.6%)
* Samurai Fight House
** Samurai Fight House Bantamweight Champion (Two time)

## Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown :
| 14 matches | 12 wins | 2 losses |
| By knockout | 4 | 0 |
| By submission | 2 | 1 |
| By decision | 6 | 0 |
| By disqualification | 0 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Win | 12–2 | Karol Rosa | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 311 | January 18, 2025 | 3 | 5:00 | Inglewood, California, United States | |
| Win | 11–2 | Darya Zheleznyakova | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Saint Denis | September 28, 2024 | 1 | 3:52 | Paris, France | Catchweight (136.5 lb) bout; Pérez missed weight. |
| Win | 10–2 | Joselyne Edwards | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 302 | June 1, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Newark, New Jersey, United States | |
| Win | 9–2 | Lucie Pudilová | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Craig | November 18, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 8–2 | Ashlee Evans-Smith | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. Bueno Silva | July 15, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Return to Bantamweight. |
| Loss | 7–2 | Stephanie Egger | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Tuivasa | September 3, 2022 | 2 | 4:54 | Paris, France | Featherweight debut. |
| Win | 7–1 | Stephanie Bragayrac | TKO (corner stoppage) | Samurai Fight House 4 | May 22, 2022 | 2 | 5:00 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Won the SFH Women's Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 6–1 | Romina Aguirre | TKO (punches) | Samurai Fight House 3 | February 12, 2022 | 1 | 3:51 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | |
| Loss | 5–1 | Tamires Vidal | DQ (illegal knees) | Samurai Fight House 2 | November 6, 2021 | 3 | 3:00 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | Lost the SFH Women's Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 5–0 | Alessandra Tainara | KO (head kick) | Samurai Fight House 1 | August 21, 2021 | 1 | 4:20 | Feira de Santana, Brazil | Won the inaugural SFH Women's Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 4–0 | Geyse Yasmin | Decision (unanimous) | Natal FC 19 | June 4, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Natal, Brazil | |
| Win | 3–0 | Fiorella Cardozo | TKO (retirement) | Collision Fight Ultimate 12 | June 19, 2019 | 1 | 1:02 | Montevideo, Uruguay | Defended the CFU Women's Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 2–0 | Laura Ribeiro | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Collision Fight Ultimate 10 | December 7, 2018 | 2 | 1:45 | Montevideo, Uruguay | Bantamweight debut. Won the vacant CFU Women's Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 1–0 | Noemi Galarza | Decision (unanimous) | ULLAMP: Liga Sudamericana 2 | November 24, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Buenos Aires, Argentina | Flyweight debut. |