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UFC flyweight Alex Perez may have lost his title fight against champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 255, but it seems his spirit is high and he is full of gratitude for the opportunity.
Alex Perez posted a heartfelt message on Instagram reacting for the first time since his first-round submission loss against Figueiredo at UFC 255.
Perez wrote:
“Well, it is what it is. It’s part of the business. Stuff happens. I’ll be back. 2020 has been a crazy year for me. 3 fights and finding out I’ll be a dad. I’m beyond blessed. Thank you for all the support I’ll be back! Thank you to all my teammates, coaches, family, friends, and sponsors for all the support. Without you guys, I wouldn’t be here. #itiswhatitis”
Alex Perez was the underdog going into the fight against Figueiredo and while there is no questioning his heart, he was completely outperformed by the slicker and stronger champion.
Figueiredo was initially scheduled to take on former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt in his first title defense.
Cody got a nod to fight for the title after his impressive KO win over Raphael Assuncao and his desire to go down a weight division and fight at flyweight.
Cody however, suffered a major bicep Injury and was forced out of his fight against the flyweight champion.
Perez was then chosen as Cody’s replacement and he got to main event a pay-per-view for the first time in his career.
Alex Perez was given a title shot after three consecutive wins in the Octagon
Alex Perez was riding a 3 fight win streak in the UFC before he was chosen as Cody’s replacement to fight Figueiredo for the title.
In the process, he became the first fighter from Dana White’s Contender Series to fight for a title in UFC history.
Perez was 6-1 going into the championship fight with a loss against veteran Joseph Benavidez being the only blemish in an otherwise spotless UFC career.
He had defeated Mark De La Rosa after the loss against Benavidez.
Alex Perez then finished Jordan Espinosa and Jussier Formiga in January and June earlier in the year to get a title shot against Figueiredo.
