Michel Pereira was explosive as always but he also had to showcase some real resolve in order to get past Andre Fialho at UFC 270 on Saturday night.
Pereira is well-known for his varied foot moves, but what made him stand out was his ability make adjustments in between rounds. He also kept Fialho on his feet throughout the third round.
The judges all scored the fight 29-28 with Pereira winning his fourth straight fight in the UFC.
“My opponent was really, really strong,” Pereira said afterwards. I was really shocked by that jab. Thank god, I was able to keep focus and just turn things around.”
Throwin’ DOWN til the last bell!! #UFC270 pic.twitter.com/ZrXpAkPO3E
— UFC (@ufc) January 23, 2022
In the face of a highly creative opponent, Fialho decided that pressure and aggression were going to be his best weapons while Pereira continued to stay dangerous with his huge explosive movements. Pereira tried to throw Superman punches from the cage and was doing front kicks, but Fialho kept the Brazilian on the edge with his smooth jab.
After an initial round in which Pereira went to the corner bleeding, Pereira took more patience as he tag Fialho using a pair hard right hands. The UFC’s newcomer was backed up by Pereira. Pereira continued with two straight kicks to Fialho’s body, which caught Fialho’s eye as he searched for a counter.
Pereira continued to attack Fialho despite his best efforts. However, he tried to find the dramatic finish. He was careful to not get aggressive in order to allow Fialho a chance to come back. Still, Pereira was assaulting Fialho from head to toe including plenty of damage being dished out to the midsection.
With five minutes left and scores likely to be tied at one round each, Fialho tried to change the tide by moving forward. This helped him achieve success in the early rounds of the fight. Pereira, on the other hand, was ready and began to fire back with strong punches as well as more of the same kicks that caused Fialho so much trouble throughout the night.
While Fialho was a solid performer for his debut in the ring, Pereira showed great skill with his offense to win.
Pereira will undoubtedly look for a ranked opponent now as he seeks to make waves in the welterweight division after adding another win to his resume.
