UFC Vegas 99 results: Anthony Hernandez bloodies Michel Pereira for fifth-round TKO win
Anthony Hernandez became the first man to finish Michel Pereira in the UFC with a dominant fifth-round TKO finish in the main event of UFC Vegas 99 on Saturday night.
Hernandez, who has won six fights in a row, had trouble taking Pereira down early in the opening round, but Pereira had no answer for his pace and wrestling once he found the right timing. He dismantled the flashy Brazilian striker with more than 100 significant strikes landed and called for a shot at the elite of the UFC middleweight division.
“Just what I expected, I had no nerves all week,” Hernandez said after the win. “Like I’ve been telling you guys, I’m ready for my belt, I’m out of my own way. Just give me what it f*cking takes. Dana [White], you’ve always given me tough-ass fights, give me someone who’s going to give me a title shot. I’m f*cking ready, I’ll prove it to you.”
Pereira had good moments in the opening round, landing a nice kick to the body and defending Hernandez’s first eight takedown attempts, but once the 31-year-old American finally got Pereira on the ground, he began to implement his strategy with perfection.
Pereira had no answer to Hernandez’s offense in the championship rounds, barely firing any attacks in rounds three and four. Pereira’s cornerman asked the Brazilian to land at least one knee in the final five minutes, and “Demolidor” did just that, only to open the door for Hernandez to again land a well-timed takedown. Once on the ground, “Fluffy” rained down punches until referee Herb Dean mercifully called the TKO stoppage.
Asked for who he wants next inside the octagon after snapping Pereira’s eight-fight winning streak, Hernandez has no name in mind for the call-out.
“I don’t even follow the roster that close, so I couldn’t f*cking tell you who’s in front of me,” Hernandez said. “But I know that I’m ready and I’m sharp and I’m ready for f*cking anyone.”