Pereira appeared to be well on his way to victory when he landed an illegal knee to Sanchez’s head at the 3:09 mark of Round 3. After consulting with referee Jason Herzog, Sanchez said he couldn’t see and would not be able to continue in the bout. As a result, “The Nightmare” was award a controversial victory.
In a post on his social media accounts, Pereira suggests that Sanchez was looking for a way out in the welterweight contest. “Demolidor” had been in complete control of the fight and may have been able to secure a finish had he not landed the illegal blow.
“Diego Sanchez entered the Octagon like a rooster and left like a chicken,” Pereira wrote in reference to his opponent’s bizarre cage entrance at the Santa Ana Star Center in Rio Rancho, N.M., on Saturday night.
Diego Sanchez entered the octagon like a rooster and left like a chicken diegonightmaresanchezufc diegonightmaresanchezufc @ufc_brasil @canalcombate @ufc ufcfightpass em Albuquerque, New Mexico https://t.co/u9HSKhMeXA
— Michel Pereira ufc (@UfcPereira) February 17, 2020
Pereira outlanded Sanchez 53 to 25 in significant strikes and defended all six of his adversary’s takedown attempts. Still, the 26-year-old Brazilian falls to 1-2 within the Las Vegas-based promotion on the heels of an upset loss to short-notice foe Tristan Connelly at UFC Fight Night 158 in September.