BAKU, AZERBAIJAN - JUNE 27: Shara Magomedov of Russia grabs the hair of Michel Pereira of Brazil in a middleweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at National Gymnastics Arena on June 27, 2026 in Baku, Azerbaijan. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Michel Pereira isn’t taking his controversial loss to Shara Magomedov lying down. The 32-year-0ld Brazilian came up short after a competitive fight at UFC Baku, but there’s more to the result than first meets the eye. Pereira started strong with an early knockdown, but Magomedov wrapped up his topknot in a successful effort to stall out the ground and pound. Later, there were a couple eye pokes, as well as a fence grab. Despite the various fouls, no points were deducted by referee Herb Dean. Soon after this defeat, Pereira was released from the UFC roster. A single point could have changed the outcome to a draw, so now Pereira intends to appeal the decision. “Everything happened the way it happened, and I’m very grateful,” Pereira told Ignition Poker Brazil (via Heavy.com). “You’ll never hear me badmouthing them because they treated me well, and I fulfilled my dream of fighting there. I pulled off techniques in that Octagon that nobody else will ever duplicate. “However, I am still actively pushing behind the scenes with my lawyer to get the result of my last fight reviewed. It’s one thing when an accidental eye poke or a low blow happens in the heat of a fight. But in my opinion, Shara pulled my hair three times. Herb Dean warned him but never deducted a point. Based on the scorecards, a single point deduction would have made the fight a 28-28 draw. I firmly believe that refereeing errors completely changed the outcome of my career. It frustrates me deeply because commissions and referees always lecture us on the rules backstage, but then they failed to enforce them when it mattered most. I’ve had nearly fifty fights; I know the rules. Referees just need to do their jobs consistently.” “Poatan” is on his side. Did “Demolidor” get screwed at UFC Baku? Definitely. However, I don’t think it’s fair to blame Herb Dean entirely for his UFC release. Pereira left the promotion having lost four of his last five, and the sole win was a dull split-decision win over Zachary Reese. His last two years have been unsuccessful and generally unpleasant to watch, a stark contrast to the previous years of high-octane action.