Keep winning, then no one can deny me: Alex Perez eyes UFC flyweight title redemption
Alex Perez heads into the Su Mudaerji fight in Macau insisting his only job is to keep winning. After injury, defeats and a contract cliff-edge, he believes another run will make the UFC take notice.
For Alex Perez, adversity isn't something new. 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-fight losing streak. He bounced back with a TKO win against Matheus Nicolau, but had his wings clipped once again with a loss to Tatsuro Taira.
But that one was more painful, as an ACL injury meant he was out of action for 526 days. The return wasn't sweet either, as he was submitted by Asu Almabayev in Doha. Then, before his fight against Charles Johnson, Perez missed weight. However, Perez has made resilience his calling card throughout his 34-fight career and bounced back with a statement win over Johnson.
This time around, the victory meant more than just the feeling inside the octagon, as he was able to re-sign with the UFC. Perez was on the final fight of his contract with the company, and the win sweetened the deal.
The Orange County native sees it as proof of how much he is valued within 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 aims to get back into title contention, and it all starts 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 fight against Mudaerji, one thing Perez focused on was forgetting what had happened in the past, especially the weight miss before the Johnson fight.
"It's kind of almost easier to have short-term memory. So when something like that happens, you just have to forget about it. So at that point in time, it was like I made weight even though I missed, and it's move on from there. I really don't think about it. I really don't think about it that, you know, that week, and then the following week just go back to the lab and uh forgot what went wrong," said Perez.
It is a similar mantra to the one he follows when dealing with adversity as a fighter, with plenty of help from friends and family.
"I do the same thing with all the stuff that I have going on. I just rely on my friends and family to get me through those tough times. Not everything's gonna be perfect. Not everything's gonna be all sunshine and rainbows. Life hits you sometimes, and it's your job and your people around you to help you get past it, and they did," said Perez.
When it comes to his immediate goals in the UFC flyweight division, Perez keeps things simple — win each fight, slowly climb up the rankings, and then go for the title.
And his roadmap to title contention is based on one simple thing: winning.
"I just want to keep winning, and they can't deny me. I go out there, keep putting on performance like I did in my last fight, I go out there, keep winning. Then, there's like no denying me. My job is just to win fights and go from there. Everything else I can't control. I can't control what the UFC really wants to do, can't control what the matchmakers want to do. It's going to control myself, and let's go out there and put in the work every day in the gym and go out there and win these fights," said Perez.
When it comes to Mudaerji, who is on a three-fight winning streak, the 34-year-old is excited for the clash. He is hoping the fight turns into a striking battle, with both men standing and trading shots.
"He's good. He's tough. He's a sniper. He's on a two-par win streak. He's been in the UFC for a long time. He's fought some of the best guys in the world. He has a big record. I can just I'm hoping to stand and bang, you know, I like to kickbox. I know he does too, so I'm excited for this matchup," said Perez.
Perez is currently ranked No. 11 in a stacked flyweight division, which means he still has a tough road ahead. But if he sticks to his mantra of just winning, then it may become impossible for the UFC to deny him another shot at the crown.
Watch UFC Fight Night - Song vs. Figueiredo on 30th May 2026 from 4:30 PM IST via Live Streaming
For Alex Perez, adversity isn't something new. 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-fight losing streak. He bounced back with a TKO win against Matheus Nicolau, but had his wings clipped once again with a loss to Tatsuro Taira.
But that one was more painful, as an ACL injury meant he was out of action for 526 days. The return wasn't sweet either, as he was submitted by Asu Almabayev in Doha. Then, before his fight against Charles Johnson, Perez missed weight. However, Perez has made resilience his calling card throughout his 34-fight career and bounced back with a statement win over Johnson.
This time around, the victory meant more than just the feeling inside the octagon, as he was able to re-sign with the UFC. Perez was on the final fight of his contract with the company, and the win sweetened the deal.
The Orange County native sees it as proof of how much he is valued within 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 aims to get back into title contention, and it all starts 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 fight against Mudaerji, one thing Perez focused on was forgetting what had happened in the past, especially the weight miss before the Johnson fight.
"It's kind of almost easier to have short-term memory. So when something like that happens, you just have to forget about it. So at that point in time, it was like I made weight even though I missed, and it's move on from there. I really don't think about it. I really don't think about it that, you know, that week, and then the following week just go back to the lab and uh forgot what went wrong," said Perez.
It is a similar mantra to the one he follows when dealing with adversity as a fighter, with plenty of help from friends and family.
"I do the same thing with all the stuff that I have going on. I just rely on my friends and family to get me through those tough times. Not everything's gonna be perfect. Not everything's gonna be all sunshine and rainbows. Life hits you sometimes, and it's your job and your people around you to help you get past it, and they did," said Perez.
When it comes to his immediate goals in the UFC flyweight division, Perez keeps things simple — win each fight, slowly climb up the rankings, and then go for the title.
And his roadmap to title contention is based on one simple thing: winning.
"I just want to keep winning, and they can't deny me. I go out there, keep putting on performance like I did in my last fight, I go out there, keep winning. Then, there's like no denying me. My job is just to win fights and go from there. Everything else I can't control. I can't control what the UFC really wants to do, can't control what the matchmakers want to do. It's going to control myself, and let's go out there and put in the work every day in the gym and go out there and win these fights," said Perez.
When it comes to Mudaerji, who is on a three-fight winning streak, the 34-year-old is excited for the clash. He is hoping the fight turns into a striking battle, with both men standing and trading shots.
"He's good. He's tough. He's a sniper. He's on a two-par win streak. He's been in the UFC for a long time. He's fought some of the best guys in the world. He has a big record. I can just I'm hoping to stand and bang, you know, I like to kickbox. I know he does too, so I'm excited for this matchup," said Perez.
Perez is currently ranked No. 11 in a stacked flyweight division, which means he still has a tough road ahead. But if he sticks to his mantra of just winning, then it may become impossible for the UFC to deny him another shot at the crown.
Watch UFC Fight Night - Song vs. Figueiredo on 30th May 2026 from 4:30 PM IST via Live Streaming
