Keep winning, then no one can deny me: Alex Perez eyes UFC flyweight title redemption
Adversity is nothing new for Alex Perez. After emerging as a title contender for the UFC flyweight crown, he suffered a submission loss to then-champion Deiveson Figueiredo and went on a three-game losing streak. He bounced back with a TKO win against Matheus Nicolau, but had his wings clipped again with a loss to Tatsur Taira.
But that one was more painful as an ACL injury meant he was sidelined for 526 days. The return wasn’t sweet either, as it was served by Asa Almabayev in Doha. Then, before his fight against Charles Johnson, Perez missed weight. However, Perez has made resilience his calling card during his 34-fight career and bounced back to claim a win over Johnson.
This time the victory meant more than just the feeling inside the octagon, as he was able to re-sign with the UFC. Perez was in the final fight of his contract with the company and the victory sweetened the deal.
The Orange County native sees it as proof of how much he is valued at the company.
“It just shows that the company values what I bring and what I do in the cage. So I’m just grateful for the opportunity to get a new contract.” said Perez in an exclusive interaction with India Today.
Now Perez is looking to get back into title contention, starting with a battle against the impressive Su Mudaerji in Macau, China during UFC Fight Night on Saturday, May 30.
MY JOB IS TO KEEP WINNING
Going into the Mudaerji fight, one thing Perez was focused on was forgetting what had happened in the past, especially missing weight before the Johnson fight.
“It’s kind of easier to have short-term memory. So when something like that happens, you just kind of forget about it. So at that point it was like I gained weight even though I missed, and it goes on. I don’t really think about it. I don’t really think about it that week, you know, and then the next week you go back to the lab and uh, Perma, what happened.”
It’s a similar mantra to the one he follows when dealing with adversity as a fighter, with a lot of help from friends and family.
“I do the same with all the things that happen. I just rely on my friends and family to get me through the hard times. Not everything is going to be perfect. Not everything is going to be sunshine and rainbows. Life hits you sometimes and it’s your job and your people around you to help you get through it and they did,” Perez said. Perez credits his family and friends for helping him overcome adversity (Courtesy: Getty)
When it comes to his immediate UFC flyweight targetsPerez keeps things simple – win every fight, slowly climb the ranks and then go for the title.
And his plan to fight for the title is based on one simple thing: winning.
“I just want to keep winning and they can’t deny that to me. I’m going out there, I’m going to keep performing like I did in my last fight, I’m going to go there, I’m going to keep winning. Then I can’t be denied. My job is just to win fights and go from there. I can’t control everything else. I can’t control what the UFC really wants to do, I can’t control what the matchmaker wants to do. And work in the gym every day and go out there and win these matches,” Perez said.
As for Mudaerji, who is on a three-match winning streak, the 34-year-old is excited about the clash. He hopes the fight turns into a striking battle with both men standing and exchanging shots.
“He’s good. He’s tough. He’s a sniper. He’s on a two-match winning streak. He’s been in the UFC a long time. He’s fought some of the best guys in the world. He’s got a great record. I can only hope to stand and bang, you know, I like to kickbox,” Perez said. I know for this match too.
Perez is currently ranked 11th in the flyweight division, meaning he still has a tough road ahead of him. But if he sticks to his mantra of just winning, then it may be impossible for the UFC to deny him another shot at the crown.
– The end
Published on:
29 May 2026 10:58 IST