Michel Pereira was half an all-time mismatch in 2020.
The most acrobatic striker of the UFC recently went on an 8-fighter tear through the Welterweight and Middle Weight divisions, and picked up finishes with his explosive, unpredictable style. Pereira finally crushed his momentum by top candidate Anthony Hernandez in a five -round main event last October.
Prior to his first headliner, Pereira's last defeat came into a good weight fight that he absolutely dominated.
On February 15, 2020, Michel Pereira fought against the very first 'The Ultimate Fighter' winner Diego Sanchez in his backyard of Alburquerque, New Mexico, in what is considered one of the strangest UFC fights of all time.
Before the fight started, 'Demolidor' carried out a breakdancing routine while the announcer introduced him.
For the intro of Sanchez, the 38-year-old UFC veteran ran to Pereira with his hands on his hips, popping bubbles in his mouth while the referee supported him of his opponent.
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Michel Pereira used Diego Sanchez for Target Practice
Two seconds after the bell sounded, Sanchez flowed at the front for a rolling thunder kick that Pereira barely missed. From there it was all downhill for Sanchez.
12 years older, Sanchez was a step behind Pereira on the feet with the Brazilian spamming bruises on the body. Pereira would open his arsenal of strikes with an Anthony Pettis 'Showtime Kick' from De Kooi and a flying knee for a good measure.
In the meantime, Sanchez turned in another rolling thunder kick.
After a tough first round, Sanchez was told by his one -man corner and the then Guru Joshua Fabia that he had won the opening round on points, despite the fact that he was massively out.
In round 2, Pereira Sanchez stuck with stairs to the body and a right cross that caught his attention. Pereira attracted in Sanchez to the cage before he used it to ignore his rear foot to land a sporadic combination of strikes.
“I know Diego for a long time, this is just very strange to me,” said coach-analyt Trevor Wittman about the performance of Sanchez between the rounds.
“I don't see what's going on here. It is difficult for me to look at.”
“This guy is so much bigger than he is. He is huge,” said UFC commentator Daniel Cormier about Pereira.
“So much bigger, so much more explosive. So many things,” said Wittman.
“I've never seen anyone out of the mouth. I've done this for a long time and I've never seen it,” said Wittman about Sanchez.
How did Michel Pereira lose in the world after a strong start?
Pereira's attacks really started to wear on the body of Sanchez in the final round, which saw Pereira showing in the beginning, not even looked at his opponent while he was firmly in the middle of the Octagon.
Pereira landed a Takedown on Sanchez and came up with a backflip on his grounded opponent (he was almost disqualified for this movement in an earlier fight).
Not long after, Pereira continued the finish with huge knees to the body and to the head of Sanchez.
Pereira sat down Sanchez with a knee in the body and probably a few strikes away from the interruption, Sanchez received an illegal knee on the head while he was grounded and opened a cut on his forehead with blood that dropped out.
The referee paused the match and brought the doctor to check Sanchez. After a few minutes, Sanchez said that he could not continue with referee Jason Herzog who disqualified the dominant Pereira for the illegal knee.
Diego Sanchez won the victory at home, but not the way he wanted. This was the last victory of Sanchez in his 44-Vecht career. The Albuquerque resident won the most important season of 'The Ultimate Fighter' in the middleweight and beat Kenny Florian in 2005.
As far as Michel Pereira is concerned, the exciting striker has been 8-1 since his DQ loss and returns to UFC Kansas City against middleweight Abus Magomedov next weekend.