We may soon find out who the number one contender is for Brandon Moreno’s UFC Flyweight Championship.
BJPenn.com reports that Askar Askarov vs. Alex Perez has been signed on for July 31. The flyweight bout will be a part of the UFC Vegas 33 card inside the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.
This is a pivotal clash in the 125-pound division. At the moment, Askarov is the number two-ranked UFC flyweight, while Perez is locked in at the fourth spot. The only time Askarov didn’t leave a pro MMA bout without a win was against Moreno. The fight was scored a split draw.
As for Perez, he’s trying to rebound after suffering a first-round submission loss to former UFC Flyweight Champion Deiveson Figueiredo. That loss snapped Perez’s three-fight winning streak.
We just witnessed a changing of the guard at 125 pounds. Moreno scored a third-round submission finish over Figueiredo via rear-naked choke to capture the flyweight title. There has been much speculation over Figueiredo’s future at flyweight. Time will tell what he decides to do but for now, it appears the 125-pound division is wide open for contenders to step up.
It’s the best-case scenario for Perez. If Figueiredo were still the champion, a title rematch for Perez wouldn’t have been likely even with a win over Askarov. He’s hoping to maximize the opportunity but Asakarov is on a journey to prove he is a better fighter than Moreno.
Askarov vs. Perez joins the likes of Uriah Hall vs. Sean Strickland and Doo Ho Choi vs. Danny Chavez on the UFC Vegas 33 card.
