Alex Pereira Reignites Herb Dean Criticism After Compatriot’s UFC Exit

UFC middleweight Michel Pereira's departure from the promotion has sparked more than just debate over roster decisions. 

Interestingly, it has also reopened Alex Pereira's long-running criticism of veteran referee Herb Dean, who oversaw the Brazilian’s last bout. The former two-division champion believes his fellow Brazilian paid the ultimate price for an officiating mistake at UFC Baku, where Michel dropped a controversial decision to Shara Magomedov. 

With the middleweight now off the UFC roster after the defeat, "Poatan" has once again questioned the standard of officiating, arguing that one missed call can change not only the outcome of a fight, but the course of a fighter's career.

Alex Pereira says Michel Pereira’s UFC Exit Came at Too High a Price

Michel Pereira's final UFC appearance came against Shara Magomedov in the co-main event of UFC Baku. The fight was overshadowed by repeated fouls from Shara “Bullet,” including multiple instances of hair pulling during grappling exchanges.

Although referee Dean acknowledged the infractions with warnings, he never deducted a point. Had he done so, the fight would have ended in a majority draw instead of a unanimous decision loss for the 32-year-old.

Subsequently, the UFC opted not to renew Michel's contract, prompting the former Glory kickboxing champion to voice his frustration on social media.

“They could have sent this guy earlier, and maybe it would have been acceptable, but paying such a high price because of a refereeing mistake is impossible to accept! The UFC has already done, and continues to do, everything I ask within the organization’s reach. But it’s sad to see this and not be upset,” he wrote. 

Alex Pereira Defends Michel Pereira

While "Poatan" acknowledged that roster decisions ultimately belong to the UFC, he argued that the fellow Brazilian should not have found himself in that position because of a controversial officiating call.

The former light heavyweight champion also urged fellow fighters to speak out when they believe mistakes inside the cage have real consequences.

"Many athletes don't say anything, but tomorrow it could be you going through this kind of situation, and there will be no point in sending me a message asking for help. It's sad that not even the UFC has control over this, and because of that, our sport keeps being tarnished."

The comments also continue Pereira's recent criticism of the veteran referee. Following his own interim heavyweight title loss to Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250, Pereira questioned Dean's handling of the finishing sequence, claiming illegal strikes to the back of his head were allowed to go unaddressed.

Michel Pereira Leaves UFC After an Entertaining Seven-Year Run

While his recent results ultimately caught up with him, Pereira's UFC career (32-15-0, 2 NC) was anything but forgettable. He joined the promotion in 2019 and quickly became one of its most entertaining fighters, blending explosive athleticism with an unpredictable, highlight-reel style that earned him seven post-fight bonuses during his 16-fight stint.

In addition, his career peaked with an eight-fight winning streak across the welterweight and middleweight divisions between 2020 and 2024, putting him on the verge of title contention. However, that epic run came to a halt after a main-event loss to Anthony Hernandez, which marked the start of his downfall, as he lost four of his final five Octagon appearances.

That said, his split-decision win over Zachary Reese earlier this year briefly kept his UFC run alive, but he entered the Magomedov fight on a one-bout deal. After the controversial defeat in Baku, the promotion chose not to offer him a new contract, bringing an end to a memorable chapter.