“Demolidor” got a new home.
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight Michel Pereira will make his first post-UFC appearance against the former Contender series hopeful In Soo Hwang ZFN 5 on Saturday, December 19, 2026, in Incheon, South Korea.
Z Fight Night (ZFN)a promotion founded by a former UFC title challenger Chan Sung Jungmiddleweight bout announced Monday. The event can be seen live on UFC Fight Pass.
Pereira (32-15, 2 NC) became a free agent following his unanimous decision loss. Shara Magomedov UFC in Baku in June. The Brazilian had ended his previous contract with a split decision win Zachary Reese before returning to a one-fight deal against “Shara Bullet.”
This struggle was not without controversy.
Pereira did his best work at Welterweight, where he won eight in a row. After moving up to middleweight, “Demolidor” scored three straight first-round finishes and looked poised to become a legitimate contender.
His momentum backfired Anthony Hernandezwho beat Pereira en route to a fifth-round stoppage (watch the highlights). Pereira ended up losing four of his five UFC appearances before entering free agency.
Now, the 33-year-old will return to the regional arena for the first time since joining the UFC in 2019. South Korea is familiar territory for Pereira, who went 3-0 with three knockouts under the Road FC label before arriving in the Octagon.
Hwang (9-2) is not a soft landing.
Former Road FC Middleweight Champion In 2010, the UFC competed unsuccessfully for a contract Contender Seriess in 2025, dropping a unanimous decision Paddy McCorry. However, “The Legendary” bounced back in May by stopping the former Bellator and Professional Fighters League (PFL) veteran. ZFN 4 in the third round of the main event.
Pereira made a name for himself in South Korea before coming to the UFC. Now he is trying to start the next chapter of his career in the same country.
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