UFC flyweight contender Alex Perez reacted after losing a unanimous decision to Sumudaerji in their rematch at UFC Shanghai.
Perez and Sumudaerji first met at UFC Macau in May, but the fight was ruled a No Contest after Sumudaerji fouled Perez with a low blow that left him unable to continue.
Thankfully, Perez was not seriously injured, and the UFC quickly rebooked the rematch for the UFC Shanghai main card.
This time, the fight played out, with Sumudaerji winning a close decision on the scorecards, with all three judges scoring the bout 29-28 in his favor.
Alex Perez Reacts to Sumudaerji Loss
Speaking to “The MMAOB Daily Podcast With Adam Martin and Big Marcel,” Perez shared his thoughts on the close loss to Sumudaerji at UFC Shanghai.
“I left it to the judges. I thought I had rounds one and two. I thought that first round was close, but I thought I landed the bigger shots and had the takedown. Second round, obviously I won. Third round, there wasn’t a lot of action. But at the end of the day, it was my mess up. I always tell people when I corner them, close rounds, give it to the other guy, and I didn’t follow my own advice,” Perez said.
What’s Next for Alex Perez?
The fight with Sumudaerji was the third bout of 2026 for Perez, who opened up the year with a knockout win over Charles Johnson at UFC 324 in January, before fighting Sumudaerji twice.
The veteran flyweight said that he plans on taking the rest of the year off to spend more time with his five-year-old son, as he has been in fight camps for much of the year and wants to spend some more time with his family.
When he does return to the Octagon, likely in 2027, look for Perez to fight someone ranked in the bottom half of the top 15 or perhaps someone ranked just outside of it.
With an 8-7, 1 NC record since joining the UFC in 2017, Perez has been incredibly active for the promotion, as UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard can always count on him to fight.