Michel Pereira aiming to appeal UFC Baku loss after hair-pulling controversy

Michel Pereira is pursuing a legal appeal of his loss to Sharabutdin Magomedov at UFC Baku, citing officiating errors that he believes cost him his career in the promotion. Pereira lost via unanimous decision in the co-main event but was not offered a contract renewal following the bout.

The middleweight contest was marred by controversial fouls from Magomedov, who repeatedly pulled Pereira's hair from bottom position in the first round. Referee Herb Dean issued a warning but declined to deduct any points. The Russian also accidentally eye-poked Pereira in the third round without penalty.

Pereira's lawyer is working to overturn the result to a draw, arguing that a single-point deduction for hair pulling would have resulted in a 28-28 scoreline. "Demolidor" expressed gratitude for his UFC career and the opportunities it provided, but emphasized his frustration with inconsistent rule enforcement. "Commissions and referees always lecture us on the rules backstage, but then they failed to enforce them when it mattered most," Pereira stated. The 32-15 fighter departed the UFC having won only one of his last five bouts and believes officiating inconsistencies significantly impacted his career trajectory. He remains committed to pursuing the appeal despite his release from the promotion.