Alex Perez knows the kind of fight he’s in for with Deiveson Figueiredo, and he’s 100 percent ready.
After Cody Garbrandt was forced out due to a bicep injury, Perez (24-5 MMA, 6-1 UFC) got the call to challenge flyweight champion Figueiredo at UFC 255 on Nov. 21.
Figueiredo (19-1 MMA, 8-1 UFC) became the first man to submit Joseph Benavidez in the main event of UFC on ESPN+ 30 in July as he captured the UFC flyweight title at the second attempt after he failed to make weight for their first meeting.
But Perez has been on a roll himself, having won three straight, including back-to-back finishes of Jordan Espinosa and Jussier Formiga. Figueiredo may pack plenty of power, but Perez isn’t planning on backing down and says he wants to meet Figueiredo in the middle of the octagon.
“Everybody in the top five, top 10 can be beaten in any day, but I just feel like I bring the pressure,” Perez told MMA Junkie. “I bring the size for flyweight. I’m a big flyweight. I bring the size, I bring the pressure, I bring the wrestling and the cardio, so I feel like we match up well. It’s going to be a great fight. People are counting it out because Cody’s out, but I feel like we’re going to steal the show.
“I think it’s going to be ‘Fight of the Night.’ We both like to go in there, we both come forward, we both like to throw. If people have seen my fights, I don’t take a step back (and) he doesn’t take a step back, either. So I’m expecting a five-round war. I’ve been five rounds before, so I know the cardio can hold up, and I’ve seen him go to a decision a few times, so I know his cardio can hold up. So it’s going to be a standup battle, I think.”
Perez will be entering his 30th pro fight, but is projected to be a sizable underdog. It’s a position he’s accustomed to and is excited for the opportunity to shock the world.
“It would mean the world to me to prove everybody wrong,” he said. “I’ve had people tell me time and time again that I didn’t belong here, I wasn’t good enough to ever make it to the UFC. Now look at me: I’m fighting for the title. So it’ll just be the cherry on top, winning that belt.”