By Lucas Grandsire

Alex Perez’s impressive seven-fight winning streak continued at UFC on Fox 28 in February, when the Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series alum defeated former "The Ultimate Fighter 25" competitor Eric Shelton by unanimous decision. 

The fight was a blowout, as Perez was able to find his rhythm early and frustrate his opponent for all three rounds.

“I executed the game plan pretty well," Perez told FloCombat. "I thought I won the first two rounds, but you never know with the judges. So that's why in the third I was focusing on getting more takedowns and controlling him a little bit more. 

"I wanted to stay on the feet, but the smartest thing to do was to get the takedown and secure the round. I'm just happy to get the win.”

The win was Perez’s second in the UFC since he made his Octagon debut in December 2017. The California native made the transition to the UFC a smooth one, something he credits to surrounding himself with the right people.

“I train with the best guys in the world," Perez said. "I have some of the best coaches in the world. My training partners like Joe Soto and Marlon Vera, Louis Smolka, Carla Esparza, Alex Reyes, Diego Rivas, and many more. You have those guys pushing you every day. 

"The competition in our practice room is just as tough as the people I'm going to fight.”

Although the transition to the UFC was smooth, Perez’s weight cut prior to the fight was anything but easy. Perez ended up missing weight by half a pound on his first weigh-in attempt, and when he came back to the scale for the second time, he had actually gained another half-pound.

“We got stuck at the airport,” Perez said. “We were one day late. That one day really affected me. I wasn't able to work out, wasn't able to do anything inside the airport. It really affected me. I apologized for it and took responsibility. It shouldn't have ever came down to that [but] I can't go back and change it.”

Having put the weight cut firmly in the rear-view mirror, Perez has his eyes set on his next potential opponent.

“I'm still a newcomer,” Perez said. “I've only had two fights. I'm hoping to get this fight with Roberto Sanchez. He's a tough guy. I think it would be a great fight. We're both ground guys, so I'd like to test my ground game against his.”

As for a location for that scrap, Perez is hoping for a spot on a card close to home.

"[I’d like to return] as soon as possible,” Perez said. “I know there's a card in April in Arizona [UFC on Fox 29 in Glendale April 14] so that's only a few hours away from where I'm living. I wouldn't mind fighting there. It's within driving distance so all my friends and family can go to support me. 

"That would be awesome. I'm hoping I can get a fight on there.”