Alex Perez faced an unfortunate turn of events at UFC Macau, as his bout against hometown favorite Sumudaerji was prematurely halted.
Perez, a former flyweight title contender, started the main card fight aggressively, setting a strong pace in the initial round. He applied constant pressure, backing Sumudaerji against the fence with striking combinations and feints.
Despite Sumudaerji landing some effective body kicks and counter-punches, Perez largely dictated the flow of the fight. The action was briefly interrupted by an accidental eye poke from Sumudaerji, but Perez quickly recovered and resumed control. He ended the first round by initiating grappling exchanges, even threatening with a guillotine choke during a late scramble.
The fight’s momentum drastically shifted in the second round. Sumudaerji came out explosively and landed a clean combination that knocked Perez down, marking the Chinese fighter’s most significant moment of the contest. However, before Sumudaerji could follow up, the fight was stopped due to an accidental low blow.
Perez was given time to recover but clearly struggled to continue. After attempting to proceed, it became evident that he could not carry on, prompting referee Lukasz Bosacki to end the fight at 1:45 of the second round.
As the fight concluded due to an unintentional foul, the official result was declared a no-contest.
Perez entered this bout following a first-round knockout victory over Charles Johnson at UFC 324 earlier this year. His current UFC record stands at 8 wins, 6 losses, and one no-contest, with an overall professional record of 26-10.
For Sumudaerji, this fight ends on a frustrating note, especially after entering the bout on a three-fight winning streak. “The Tibetan Eagle” now holds a UFC record of 6 wins and 4 losses, with one no-contest, and a professional record of 19-7.