Anthony Hernandez vs Michel Pereira — Fight recap

Anthony Hernandez defeated Michel Pereira by TKO in the fifth round at 2:22, with referee Herb Dean stopping the action. Hernandez dominated the wrestling-heavy matchup, landing 152 significant strikes at a 71% clip while controlling the cage for 15:42 of the fight.

His takedown attempts proved effective despite a 34% success rate (10 of 29), keeping Pereira grounded and unable to establish his striking rhythm. Pereira managed only 24 significant strikes at 45% accuracy and failed to land a single takedown, with just 56 seconds of control time.

Hernandez's striking volume, particularly 125 head strikes and a near-perfect 22-of-24 body work, wore down Pereira over five rounds until the final stoppage. The victory reinforces Hernandez's grappling-based approach in the middleweight division and positions him for a step up in competition.