Michel Pereira slapped Zelim Imadaev at UFC Vegas 9: ‘I told him I would pay him back’

UFC welterweight Michel Pereira proved why he is a must watch tv attraction. Not only did Pereira beat Zelim Imadaev but he did so in spectacular fashion at UFC Vegas 9.

During the weigh-ins, Imadaev slapped Pereira as the two men faced off. Pereira vowed he would make Imadaev pay for it.

Indeed, Pereira did make him pay for it and repeatedly slapped Imadaev during the fight to prove his point.

“I don’t know why exactly he did this, but I told him I would pay him back, and I did in the fight,” Pereira explained afterward to reporters at UFC APEX. “I’m a man – you cannot slap my face.”

At one point Pereria blew a kiss and slapped his opponent.

Pereira was dominating the fight landing fists and kicks. He later moved on to open palm strikes. We didn’t get to see as many flips and acrobatics from him but the size of the cage was the main factor.

“I was not trying to save energy,” the Brazilian explained. “[Flips are] harder for me, but I’m going to do it again.”

After humiliating his opponent, Pereira expects Imadaev to stop disrespecting opponents.

“I showed my hand, I kissed my hand and I slapped him so he can learn he’s not going to do it again,” he said. “He cannot do that.”

Even though Imadaev didn’t appear to tap, Pereira said the choke was sunk in tight and more time would have only led to a more vicious finish.

“I didn’t feel when he tapped, but the position was very, very tight,” he said. “So in that case, he would tap or he would sleep.”

Pereira his back in the win column and wants the best of the best next. Backstage he called out the “BMF” champ Jorge Masvidal.

“I’m always doing my best when I fight the best guys, and I’m pretty sure Masvidal is one of them,” Pereira said. “If we fight, I’m pretty sure it’s going to be huge, huge show. The fans would love it if we fight.”

A matchup against the two men would be electric. It would be insane to watch Pereira slap Masvidal but Pereira will only do so if disrespected.

“If he doesn’t respect me, yes, I would slap him,” Pereira said. “But I just want to fight the best, and I’m sure we’d give a huge show for the fans.”