Alex Perez Bio
Alexander Salvador Perez is an American professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of November 25, 2025, he is ranked #11 in the UFC flyweight rankings. Known widely by his ring name Alex Perez, he has built a reputation as a well-rounded fighter with a background in collegiate wrestling.
Born on March 21, 1992, Perez turned professional in 2011 and has since competed against many of the top names in the flyweight class. He is associated with Team Oyama and represents Lemoore, California, where he continues to train and live.
Early Life and Background
Alexander Salvador Perez was born on March 21, 1992, in Hanford, California, and grew up in a large family of Mexican descent. He is one of nine siblings, including two brothers, Silverio Esparza and Julian Perez, who also wrestled alongside him during their youth. The household was active in sports, and wrestling became a central part of the brothers’ shared upbringing.
Perez began wrestling in the sixth grade, a foundation that would later shape his entire mixed martial arts career. He completed high school at Lemoore and continued his wrestling career at West Hills College Lemoore, a junior college program. During his sophomore year, he earned regional champion honors and was recognized as an All-American wrestler, accomplishments that confirmed his place among the top amateur grapplers in his region.
After finishing high school, Perez began helping friends train for their MMA fights, drawing on the wrestling skills he had developed over many years. This informal coaching experience, combined with his competitive wrestling background, convinced him to pursue a professional fighting career of his own.
Path to MMA
Building on his All-American wrestling credentials, Perez transitioned into mixed martial arts and made his professional debut on May 6, 2011, at TPF 9. In that first bout he faced Jesus Castro and won by knockout in the first round, an emphatic start that signaled his finishing ability. He went on to compile a 16-4 record on the regional circuit while refining his striking and submission skills alongside his wrestling base.
His opportunity to reach the biggest stage in MMA came through Dana White’s Contender Series Season 5, where he faced Kevin Gray. Perez won the bout convincingly, and the victory earned him a contract with the UFC. That moment marked the end of his developmental phase and the beginning of his run on the sport’s most prominent stage.
Alex Perez Career
Early Career (2011–2017)
Between 2011 and 2017, Alex Perez built his craft on the regional MMA circuit across the United States. Competing primarily as a flyweight, he faced a steady stream of opponents and collected finishes by knockout and submission while sharpening the wrestling base that had defined his amateur career. By the time he was invited to Dana White’s Contender Series, he had established himself as a proven finisher with a 16-4 professional record.
His Contender Series win over Kevin Gray, followed by a UFC contract, validated the years spent on the regional scene. The early career phase was about proving he could finish fights and stay active, and Perez did exactly that, setting the stage for a run inside the Octagon.
UFC Breakthrough (2017–2020)
Perez made his promotional debut on December 9, 2017, at UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Ortega, where he submitted Carlos John de Tomas in the second round. He followed that with a unanimous decision win over Eric Shelton at UFC on Fox: Emmett vs. Stephens, despite a catchweight fine for missing the flyweight limit by half a pound. In August 2018 at UFC 227, Perez scored a first-round knockout of Jose Torres, which pushed him into the divisional conversation.
After a setback against Joseph Benavidez at The Ultimate Fighter 28 Finale in late 2018, Perez bounced back with a bantamweight decision win over Mark De La Rosa at UFC on ESPN 2. He then earned a Performance of the Night award for an arm-triangle choke of Jordan Espinosa at UFC Fight Night 166 in January 2020, a finish he later described as an on-the-fly adjustment and the first time he had submitted an opponent from that position.
His momentum peaked on June 6, 2020, at UFC 250, when he stopped Jussier Formiga via first-round technical knockout and picked up another Performance of the Night bonus. Later that year, an injury to Cody Garbrandt led to Perez stepping in to challenge Deiveson Figueiredo for the UFC Flyweight Championship at UFC 255. He lost the title bout by guillotine choke in round one, but the opportunity confirmed his status as a top-tier flyweight contender.
Team Oyama Era (2021–Present)
Since 2021, Alex Perez has continued his UFC career as part of Team Oyama, training out of Lemoore, California. The early part of this stretch was marked by several cancellations due to injuries, weight misses, and opponent withdrawals, including a much-anticipated booking against Matt Schnell that was scrapped multiple times. Despite the disruptions, Perez returned at UFC 277 in July 2022 and faced Alexandre Pantoja, losing by neck crank submission in the first round.
He resumed winning form on April 27, 2024, at UFC on ESPN 55, replacing Manel Kape against Matheus Nicolau and scoring a second-round knockout that earned him another Performance of the Night award. However, a June 2024 main event against Tatsuro Taira at UFC on ESPN 58 ended in a second-round technical knockout loss due to a knee injury. A scheduled August 2025 bout against Steve Erceg at UFC on ESPN 72 was scrapped after Perez withdrew in mid-July, and on November 22, 2025, at UFC Fight Night 265, he was submitted by Asu Almabayev via guillotine choke in the first round.
Driving Style and Strengths
Across the cage, Alex Perez blends his All-American wrestling pedigree with sharp finishing instincts. He has recorded professional wins by knockout, submission, and decision, showing comfort wherever a fight goes. His conditioning, top control, and opportunistic finishing instincts have made him a perennial threat in the UFC flyweight division.
Notable Events and Milestones
Key milestones include his UFC debut submission of Carlos John de Tomas, multiple Performance of the Night bonuses, and his first-round TKO of Jussier Formiga at UFC 250. His late-2020 title shot against Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 255 stands as the most significant booking of his career to date, and his second-round knockout of Matheus Nicolau in 2024 reinforced his finishing credentials.
Alex Perez Career Wins
Throughout his professional career, Alexander Salvador Perez has compiled 25 wins across 35 total professional bouts. His finishes are distributed across decisions, knockouts, and submissions, with a strong share coming by way of tapout. The combination of regional success, a Contender Series victory, and UFC finishes has defined his win column.
UFC Highlights
Inside the Octagon, Perez has earned wins over Carlos John de Tomas, Eric Shelton, Jose Torres, Mark De La Rosa, Jordan Espinosa, Jussier Formiga, and Matheus Nicolau, among others. His most recent UFC victory came by second-round knockout of Nicolau at UFC on ESPN 55 in April 2024, and several of those performances were recognized with Performance of the Night bonuses.
Other Wins & Performances
Outside the UFC, Perez compiled a 16-4 record on the American regional circuit and earned a Contender Series win over Kevin Gray that launched his UFC tenure. In June 2023, he also competed in a Brazilian jiu-jitsu match against two-time NCAA champion Roman Bravo-Young at UFC Fight Pass Invitational 4, a bout that ended in a draw.
Alex Perez Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Alex Perez comes from a large family of Mexican descent and is one of nine siblings. Two of his brothers, Silverio Esparza and Julian Perez, shared his early passion for wrestling, and the brothers trained together throughout their formative years. That family connection to combat sports helped establish the discipline and work ethic that carried into his professional career.
Personal Life
Alex Perez and his wife are parents to a son, who was born in 2021. The family resides in Lemoore, California, where Perez continues to train with Team Oyama and compete at the top level of mixed martial arts.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 calendar year has been a challenging one for Alex Perez inside the UFC flyweight division. His August booking against Steve Erceg at UFC on ESPN 72 was canceled after he withdrew in mid-July for undisclosed reasons, keeping him out of competition through the summer. Despite the layoff, Perez remained ranked inside the UFC flyweight top fifteen heading into the fall.
On November 22, 2025, Perez returned at UFC Fight Night 265 against Asu Almabayev in search of a statement win. The bout did not go his way, as he was caught in a guillotine choke and submitted in the first round. The result snapped any late-year momentum and dropped him in the rankings, even as he continued to hold a place inside the divisional top fifteen.
Looking ahead, Perez sits at #11 in the flyweight rankings as of late November 2025, and his Team Oyama camp will likely be searching for a return bout that can put him back in the win column. With his mix of wrestling, power, and submission threats, he remains a dangerous matchup for any flyweight looking to break into the title picture.