Michel Pereira looked as if he was on his way to a convincing three round beatdown of Diego Sanchez tonight at UFC Fight Night 167, right up until he landed an illegal knee to the head that resulted in his disqualification!
Round One:
Sanchez immediately into a sommersault kick and partially lands it. They go into the clinch after Sanchez rises back to his feet, but are soon back in striking range.
Hard front kick to the body from Pereira. Another snapping kick to the body now for him. Looping right hand gets through for Sanchez.
Leg kick from Sanchez now as Pereira was coming in. Front kick again from Pereira. Sanchez circling around the cage and Pereira does a showtime kick off the cage!
Flying knee from Pereira now and Sanchez drops down looking for a takedown, but can’t get it.
Right hand for Pereira now as Sanchez goes back to circling on the outside. Body kick for Pereira. Three-piece combo for Sanchez.
Pereira looking the bigger man here and stalking Sanchez. Sanchez with a takedown attempt, but nothing doing.
leg kicks being exchanged now. Hard knee to the body from Pereira. He lands another and a hard elbow for good measure. Now a spinning kick attempt. Sommersault kick from Sanchez misses. Sanchez trying to press forward now in the closing seconds of the round.
Round Two:
Body kick for Pereira. He goes in again and Sanchez wants a takedown that doesn’t pay off. Sanchez with a body punch and a leg kick.
Body kick from Sanchez and Pereira counters. Pereira presses forward with punches. Sanchez continually backing up to the cage and looking a little lost out there.
Missed spinning kick from Sanchez. Capoeira kick misses from Pereira too. Sanchez charges forward and runs into a punch.
Body kick for Pereira. he tries for a flying knee and doesn’t quite connect. Sanchez trying for a takedown against the cage, but Pereira reverses that and moves away.
Flying knee attempt again from Pereira. Body kick from Sanchez. Hard right hand from Pereira knocks Sanchez back a bit.
Solid one-two for Sanchez. Superman punch off the cage from Pereira lands and continues to press forward with more punches behind it.
Body kick for Pereira. A punch and then a flying knee. Sanchez looking to clinch, but Pereira seems the stronger man and is able to reverse and move away.
Spinning kick from Sanchez misses and Pereira goes for a big takedown, hoisting Sanchez off his feet and lands it.
Round Three:
Useless advice as usual from Sanchez’s solitary cornerman. “You need to go, you hear me?”
Leg kick from Sanchez as Pereira dances around showboating. Front kick to the body from Pereira. Two-punch combo from Pereira.
Spinning backfist from Sanchez misses and Pereira uses that to go for a takedown and lands it. Big flip from Pereira on the mat to keep the crowd entertained.
Back on the feet and Pereira is back on the offensive and Sanchez is staggered. Pereira gets on top and lands ground and pound.
Sanchez back up. Pereira with a big knee strike to the body. left hook from Pereira. Sanchez trying to press forward, but Pereira blasts him with a big knee to the body and then another to the head. He lands again with a knee to the body and Sanchez drops to the mat.
Pereira then lands an illegal knee to the head and that forces a stoppage. Sanchez has a cut to his forehead for good measure.
The referee is giving Sanchez time to recover here, but if he decides he can’t continue then it’ll be a DQ and he wound emerge victorious in a fight he was clearly losing.
Sanchez taking his time and asking for clarification if it would be a DQ. He’s saying he can’t continue!
The official verdict comes through – Sanchez wins by disqualification at 3.09mins of round three.
That looked very much like Sanchez knew exactly what he was doing and took full advantage of the rules to avoid a certain defeat after a very poor performance. Pereira has only himself to blame though after a clearly illegal and completely unnecessary blow.
