Flyweight Alex Perez Still Preparing Like UFC San Diego Will Happen as Planned

While Dana White has insisted that the Ultimate Fighting Championship schedule will resume with UFC 249 on April 18, there are no guarantees as to when the Las Vegas-based promotion will be back in business due to the ongoing threat of the coronavirus pandemic.

Despite those uncertainties, flyweight contender Alex Perez has been preparing as if his UFC San Diego matchup with Kai Kara-France will take place on May 16 as planned.

“I tell people I don't get paid to sit on the couch,” Perez told UFC.com. “I get paid to fight. I've got a fight on May 16 as of right now and, God willing, everything clears up by then, and if it doesn't, then it doesn't happen. But I'd rather be ready for the occasion than not be ready. I've got a treadmill and a little gym in my house, I can shadowbox and work out here and I'm gonna stay ready. I want to fight.” 

After earning a UFC deal on Season 1 of Dana White’s Contender Series, Perez has been victorious in five of his six Octagon appearances. That includes a 3-1 mark at 125 pounds. Perez, who is coming off a victory over Jordan Espinosa at UFC Fight Night 166 on Jan. 25, hopes to be regarded as a serious title contender by year’s end.

“I'm just doing my part, and my part is to win fights, and eventually they can't deny me,” he said. “My path to the title is to win one fight at a time, but let's say I win this fight against Kara-France and put another one or two more wins together, then I'm right in the hunt. I could be fighting a Brandon Moreno, a Pantoja, a Jussier Formiga. I could be right in the mix for a title shot. And it's about the exciting fights that you put on.”

Perez’s lone loss in the promotion came at the hands of perennial contender Joseph Benavidez at “The Ultimate Fighter 25” finale in November 2018. Benavidez is coming off a second-round TKO loss to Deiveson Figueiredo in a bout for the vacant flyweight title at UFC Norfolk on Feb. 29. Since Figueiredo missed weight, only Benavidez was eligible to win the belt. White has indicated that a rematch, due to both Figueiredo’s weight transgression and an incidental headbutt that hindered Benavidez, is the likely next step.

Perez, for one, doesn’t think Benavidez deserves another shot at the title.

“Honestly, I feel Joe shouldn't get a rematch,” Perez said. “Yeah, he's blaming the headbutt, but he caused the headbutt. When I fought him, he headbutted me, and I'm super upset. How come I don't get a rematch? So I feel like Benavidez shouldn't fight for the title. He lost and he made an amateur mistake. He checked his head when he was bleeding and he left his hand down and got caught with that right hand.”

For now, Perez is focused on his own fight. He says his background as a combat sports athlete is beneficial during a time when fear and doubt are on the rise.

“Being a wrestler, a coach and a fighter, it helps you when you're going through crazy times,” Perez said. “You have to think on your feet, and panicking and getting crazy is the wrong thing to do. You've got to find the positives in what's going on.”