UFC 270: Michel Pereira earns decision over Andre Fialho (Video)

UFC 270: Michel Pereira defeated Andre Fialho.

Michel Pereira defeated Andre Fialho via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28),  at UFC 270 on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, live from the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA.

“My opponent was really really strong. He came in with that jab. That really surprised me,” said Pereira, through the help of a translator.

Fialho brought the fight to Pereira right away. Pereira pushed off of the cage and landed a multiple-punch combination. Fialho caught Pereira with a jab that sent Pereira stumbling away. With Pereira up against the fence, Fialho landed a two-punch combination. Pereira’s front kicks were leaving their mark on Fialho’s body. Fialho continued to apply pressure to Pereira, landing his jab at a high rate. Pereira went for a takedown but gave up on it pretty fast. Pereira slipped when throwing a big knee, allowing Fialho to gain an advantageous top position, allowing him to land several strikes before the end of the round.

Fialho continued to take the middle of the Octagon and walk Pereira back. Pereira landed an outside leg kick and landed a powerful shot. Out of nowhere, Pereira landed a combination and then a flying knee. Pereira landed a powerful kick to the body. The fight flipped as Pereira was coming forward and landing a lot of punches. Pereira landed another shot to the body and followed it up with another combination. Fialho landed an uppercut from a clinch but Pereira landed another knee to the body. With seconds remaining in the round, Pereira landed a takedown with ease. However, the clock ran out before any further damage could be done.

Both fighters entered the final round, knowing they had to win the round if they were going to win the fight. Fialho was aggressive to start the round, pushing Pereira back. Pereira used several kick variations to target the legs and body of Fialho. Pereira landed a combination and then took down Fialho, who returned quickly to his feet. The two fighters continued trading punches. With 28 seconds remaining, Pereira landed an inadvertent kick to the groin. The fight restarted with Fialho moving forward. In the final 10 seconds, both fighters emptied the gas tank with whatever they had left.

Pereira entered UFC 270 on a three-fight winning streak. The winning streak is Pereira’s longest since joining the UFC in 2019. Pereira has earned a reputation for being extremely flashy with his fighting style. However, his fighting style has also cost Pereira as he has run out of gas early in some of his fights. In his last fight, Pereira defeated Niko Price at UFC 264. After winning his fourth fight in a row, Pereira should get a ranked welterweight in his next fight.

Fialho was one of eight fighters making their UFC debut on Saturday night. The Portuguese fighter entered UFC 270 on a four-fight winning streak, winning all four fights by knockout. In his most high-profile victory, Fialho knocked out former UFC contender James Vick. Fialho will try and get his first UFC win in his next fight.

UFC 270 took place on Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022, live from the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA. Follow along with FanSided MMA, who is on-site, for all your news and highlights.