Michel Pereira looked to be fighting for his future in the UFC on Saturday night.
The 32-year-old Brazilian, known for his wild style, takes on Zachary Reese at UFC Houston.
Pereira comes into the fight desperate to end a three-game losing streak that has kept him out of the win column since May 2024.
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Michel Pereira wins controversial split verdict against Zachary Reese
Photography: Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC
Pereira returned to the winning column with a split decision victory over Reese at UFC Houston.
Pereira scored an early takedown, but chose not to follow his opponent to the ground.
The opening round was marred by two accidental strikes to the groin from Reese.
In the second round, Pereira landed a knee to his opponent in the clinch before another foul from Rees – this time an eye poke – temporarily halted the fight.
Despite this interruption, both fighters traded blows for much of the round, with Reese taking significant damage by the end of the round.
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The two continued to trade in the third round until the final bell sounded.
The judges awarded Pereira the victory with scores of 29-28, 28-29 and 29-28. However, boos erupted around Toyota Center after the official decision was announced.
Many fans on social media branded it a “robbery”, while others called for Pereira to be released.
Looking back at Michel Pereira’s losing streak
Pereira rode an eight-fight winning streak in four years before things started to unravel.
That long stretch came to an end in October 2024 when the two faced Anthony Hernandez at UFC Vegas 99.
“Fluffy” dominated that fight, eventually knocking out Pereira in the fifth round, putting him in the middleweight conversation.
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Pereira then lost his second consecutive fight to Abs Magomedov in April 2025.
The latest setback came quickly. Last August, Kyle Daukaus knocked him out in just 43 seconds at a UFC event in Shanghai.
Despite returning to the win column, Pereira still needs to prove himself to the fans after the UFC Houston event.
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