Michel Pereira is best known for his flashy striking, but he utilized some key takedowns in the second half of his fight with Khaos Williams tonight at UFC Vegas 17 to help secure a decision victory.
Round One:
Inside leg kick for Khaos. Another leg kick attempt, but pulls away from that one. He goes for the inside leg kick, but Pereira lands punches. Now a front kick to the body for Pereira.
Another front kick attempt from Pereira. Khaos charges forward, but is off-balance as he tries to unleash a flurry.
Again Khaos goes for the leg kick and Pereira immediately tags him with counter punches. Head kick attempt from Khaos.
Pereira tries a superman punch off the cage, but doesn’t land. Missed front kick to the body from Pereira and there’s a brief clinch, then back to striking range.
Lots of movement from Pereira. Overhand right from Khaos, but reaching for that one. Front kick to the body from Pereira, but Khaos catches it and then retaliates with two hard punches.
Pereira now circling on the outside. Again the front kick to the body for him and Khaos blasts him with another counter punch.
Body kick for Khaos. Straight right from Pereira after Khaos missed a kick. Knee strike from Pereira at close range.
Head kick attempt from Pereira. Khaos goes for a leg kick just as Pereira is jumping into the air with a possible flying knee that doesn’t pay off.
Round Two:
Fereira circling to start the second round. Khaos throws a couple of strikes without connecting. Leg kick does land now though.
Missed leg kicks from both. Right hand scores for Pereira. A flurry of punches from Williams and several of those got through. Pereira clinches up and Khaos walks him over to the cage.
Pereira pushes away and gets back to striking range. Outside leg kick for Khaos. Now an inside leg kick. Body punch from Pereira.
Counter right hook from Khaos as Pereira comes in. Leg kicks now from Williams. Another lands, but Pereira counters this time.
Jab for Pereira as he switches stances. Both fire out a jab at the same time. Khaos loading up on a punch. Front kick to the body from Pereira.
Khaos ducks punches and then counters with a hook. Now Khaos barrels forward and lands three straight punches in a row as Pereira backs up to the cage.
Into the clinch now and it’s Pereira who gets the advantageous position and lands a couple of solid knees to the body before returning to striking range.
Final seconds of the round and Khaos swings wildly, misses and then Pereira moves to his back and sinks in a choke. They go to the mat and he’s working for that rear-naked choke, but the round ends before he can seal the deal.
Round Three:
Spinning capoeira kick upstairs from Pereira, but it misses. Body kick from Khaos. Left hand gets through for Pereira. Inside leg kick for Khaos. Now one to the outside of the leg.
They exchange a left hand each. Now a body kick from Khaos. Pereira with a high kick too. He tries for an acrobatic kick that doesn’t pay off.
Khaos with a flurry of punches to the body and head. Now another body punch. Kick upstairs from Pereira. Outside leg kick from Pereira.
In close range Khaos lands a three-piece punching combo. Front kick to the body for Pereira. He goes for that technique again.
Now a big takedown attempt from Pereira and he lands it. With less than two minutes remaining that’s a huge moment in the fight.
Pereira in side control here and looking to go knee on belly, but Khaos does very well to stand back up. Pereira still in the clinch, but backs up.
Pereira comes into striking range and is greeted by punches. Pereira with a front kick to the face, but Khaos responds with a punch.
Pereira rushes in again, but he’s swooped under for a takedown and lands it again. Smart work from the striker and he lands some good ground and pound punches and elbows to end the round.
Decision:
A very close fight then for the most part, with Williams landing more offense on the feet, but Pereira getting him down to the mat late in the second round and then again twice in the third to give the judges a big decision to make.
The results are in and it’s Pereira who does enough to earn a unanimous decision victory (29-28 x3).
