LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – Middleweight Michel Pereira turned heads in more ways than one.
Pereira made a massive statement in his Middleweight debut last night at UFC Vegas 81 (Oct. 14, 2023) when he knocked out Andre Petroski in 66 seconds from inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas (watch highlights). Pereira picked up a $ 50,000 Performance of the Night bonus as well.
While his debut in a new weight class was excellent, Pereira did something that turned heads … he walked out with a different flag than his own: Israel.
Check out the pic:
Michel Perreira enters the cage with an Israel flag pic.twitter.com/GHElMWd740
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) October 14, 2023
During his post-fight interview with the media, Pereira explained why he chose to walk out with the flag.
“It is because of the war that is happening in Israel. I have a lot of friends there, and I saw some videos that broke my heart,” Pereira told the media through a translator. “I saw a little kid, and he was sleeping; when the kid woke up, he was starving. Now I have a baby, I have a kid at home, so when I saw the video, it broke my heart. I decided to have the flag to support Israel.”
Indeed, Israel and Palestine are currently at war again, which was the leading cause of Pereira wearing the flag. He also trains with UFC fighter Natan Levy, who is Israeli, so that might have had an impact.
UFC lifted the flag ban at UFC Vegas 80, allowing fighters to represent their country again … or, in Pereira’s case, another country.
For complete UFC Vegas 81 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.