UFC Pittburgh, a.ka. UFC Fight Night 116, served up an action-packed card Saturday night live from the PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA. With plenty of action and lots of finishes, it was a fan-friendly event, and the co-main event was just as promising. In that bout, “Platinum” Mike Perry, one of the grittier welterweights on the UFC roster, welcomed short notice replacement Alex Reyes to the promotion.
How short notice? Reyes, on a twelve fight win streak with all twelve coming by way of finish, took the fight on just three days notice after Perry’s original opponent Thiago Alves was forced off the card.
This one was over before it started. Perry came storming out of the gate, and while against the fence in a Thai clinch, the pair exchanged knees. Mike Perry then landed a huge knee. Alex Reyes dropped to the mat, and follow-up strikes were an afterthought. The ref waved it off, and this one was over. There would be no storybook ending for Alex Reyes, but he deserves a ton of credit for taking on such a dangerous opponent on short notice.
“It was supposed to be Thiago in here, he ran from me, so now I think I deserve a top ten” Perry said after the fight, before calling out former welterweight champion Robbie Lawler.
Mike Perry def. Alex Reyes by knockout, Round 1, 1:19
