Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight “Cowboy,” Alex Oliveira, will battle fan-favorite Mike Perry at the upcoming UFC on ESPN+ 8 mixed martial arts (MMA) event this Sat. night (April 27, 2019) inside BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida.
The bout was originally expected to feature Oliveira against 170-pound stalwart Jingliang Li; however, the “Leech” was injured and forced to withdraw. That’s just fine with the Brazilian, who is more than ready for those “Platinum” problems.
“This guy is aggressive and brings problems,” Oliveira told MMA Fighting. “I’m expecting a brawl. That’s what he brings. I’m focused, even if he comes with surprises. I want to become UFC champion, so I have to stay focused and keep my hands heavy. I see myself knocking him out. He’s a brawler. Wherever we go, it will be a war. [Dana White] can write the check for the best knockout of the night.”
Oliveira (19-6-1, 2 NC) is hoping to erase the memory of a bloody submission loss his last time out, having succumbed to Gunnar Nelson at UFC 231 in December. Prior to the “Gunni” misstep, “Cowboy” captured four of his last five.
As for Perry (12-4), he’s looking to bounce back from his white flag against Donald Cerrone at the UFC Denver event last November. It was “Platinum’s” third defeat in just four fights, a troubling sign after jumping out to a 4-1 start to his UFC career.
Oliveira vs. Perry … who ya’ got?