Michel Pereira
Michel Fagner Lima Pereira (born 6 October 1993) is a Brazilian mixed martial artist currently competing as a Welterweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A professional competitor since 2011, he formerly 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. Background. Pereira was born in Tucumã, Pará, Brazil. He started training karate at the age of 12, complementing his skillset with Brazilian jiu-jitsu from the age of 16 onwards. Mixed martial arts career. Early career. Michel Pereira began  his professional mixed martial arts career fighting in regional promotions of his native state of Brazil, Pará, as well as 300 Sparta, amassing a professional record of 9–3 with notable wins over the veterans Daziel da Silva Jr. and Silmar Nunes. These early wins earned a chance to fight with the bigger promotions. Such as Jungle Fight and XFC. In his first fight and only fight with Jungle Fight, he faced Junior Orgulho. He won by a unanimous decision. His next fight was a loss versus Junior de Oliveira with Iron Man CF. After a win against Caio Robson, Michel  Pereira earned a contract with XFC. Fighting on the prelims of XFC International 7, Pereira faced Geraldo Coelho. Responding to his opponent's pressure with clinching and a takedown, Pereira ended the fight in the third round by way of a guillotine choke. His next fight was on the prelims of XFC International 9, during which he faced Cairo Rocha. With various techniques such as wheel kicks and flying knees, Michel earned a victory through a unanimous decision. These two victories gave him a main even fight against Carlston Harris, which Pereira lost through a unanimous decision. Following this Pereira  fought with various promotions during which he lost a decision against Abubakar Vagaev, Ismael de Jesus and Kurbanjiang Tuluosibake, while also netting wins against Stanley Barbosa by way of an arm triangle choke, as well decisions against Renato Gomes and Cristiano Estela Rios. Serbian Battle Championship and Road FC. His 16–8 record earned him a chance to fight for the vacant SBC Welterweight Championship against Luka Strezoski at SBC 15 on 8 December 2017. Pereira won a majority decision. Pereira was scheduled to defend his SBC title against Laerte Costa at SBC 17 on 18 April 2018. He won the  fight by a first-round rear naked choke submission. Moving away from SBC, Pereira was scheduled to face Carlos Perira at Arena Fight 8 on 12 May 2018, in a 176 lbs catchweight bout. The fight ended in a no-contest, due to a cage malfunction. His next fight was likewise a 176 lbs catchweight about, against Ryul Kim at HEAT 42 on 27 May 2018. The fight was Pereira's South Korean debut. Pereira won the fight by a first-round technical knockout. Pereira was next scheduled to face Hea Jun Yang at Road FC 48. He won the  fight by a first-round technical knockout. Pereira remained on the South Korean circuit for his next fight, being scheduled to fight Batmunkh Burenzorig at HEAT 43 on 17 September 2018. Although he won the fight by a read-naked choke submission, the result was later overturned into a no-contest, due to Periera missing weight. Pereira was scheduled to make his second SBC Middlweight title defense against Duško Todorović at SBC 19 on 1 December 2018. Todorović won the fight by a first-round technical knockout. Periera was scheduled to face Won Jun Choi at Road FC 051 XX  on 15 December 2018, in a 190 lbs catchweight bout. Pereira won the fight by a 41-second knockout. Pereira was scheduled to face the heavyweight Dae Sung Kim at Road FC 052 on 23 February 2019, in an openweight bout. Pereira beat Kim by a second-round technical knockout. Ultimate Fighting Championship. Pereira's first fight in the UFC was scheduled for 18 May 2019 at UFC Fight Night 152 against Danny Roberts Pereira utilized unorthodox striking techniques, including an attempted showtime kick, and superman punch, before winning the fight via knockout early in round one. Periera was awarded  a "Performance of the Night" award. Pereira's next fight was scheduled for UFC Fight Night 158 against Sergey Khandozhko. Sergey would face visa issues and was replaced by the Canadian Tristan Connelly. Pereira missed weight by 2 pounds. He lost a unanimous decision against a smaller opponent fighting on short notice. MMA Junkie would pick this fight as their "Upset of the Year". The fight was awarded a "Fight of the Night "award, for which Pereira was ineligible as he missed weight, which meant Pereira forfeited 30% of his purse, as well as his $50,000 share of the  FOTN award Pereira's third UFC opponent was Diego Sanchez whom he faced at UFC Fight Night 167 on 15 February 2020. Pereira dominated Sanchez for most of the fight but was disqualified for hitting Sanchez with an illegal knee while he was grounded. Pereira faced Zelim Imadaev on 5 September 2020 at UFC Fight Night 176. There was controversy during the weigh-ins as Imadaev slapped Pereira in the face, and both had to be restrained by the event's staff. Pereira dominated the fight, and slapped Imadaev back several times, before winning the fight via submission in the  third round. This win earned him a Performance of the Night award. Pereira faced Khaos Williams on 19 December 2020 at UFC Fight Night 183. He won the fight via unanimous decision. Pereira faced Niko Price on 10 July 2021 at UFC 264. He won the fight via unanimous decision. Pereira was scheduled to face Muslim Salikhov on 15 January 2022 at UFC on ESPN 32. However, Salikhov withdrew from the bout for undisclosed reasons and the bout was cancelled. Pereira fought André Fialho on 22 January 2022 at UFC 270. He won the fight by unanimous decision. Michel Pereira  is scheduled to face Santiago Ponzinibbio on May 21, 2022 at UFC Fight Night 206