Michel Pereira (born 6 October 1993) is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist currently competing as a Middleweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
2011
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.
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.
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.
2017
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.
2018
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.
2019
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.
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.
