Alex Pereira blasts Herb Dean after Michel Pereira's UFC release over unchecked hair-pulling foul

UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has publicly blamed referee Herb Dean for the promotion’s decision to release Michel Pereira, pointing to Dean’s failure to deduct a point for repeated hair-pulling by Sharabutdin Magomedov during their unanimous decision co-headliner at UFC Baku.

Michel had already fought out his previous UFC contract when he accepted a one-fight deal to face Magomedov. He lost the bout by unanimous decision, and the UFC subsequently declined to re-sign him. Alex Pereira, who has previously criticised Dean over his own controversial loss to Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250, voiced his frustration in a lengthy Instagram post without explicitly naming the referee this time.

“They could have released him earlier, and maybe that would have been understandable,” Pereira wrote. “But making someone pay such a high price because of a refereeing mistake is unacceptable.”

The former two-division champion broadened his criticism beyond a single incident, warning that referee incompetence poses a systemic threat to fighters’ careers across the sport.

“The UFC has always done everything I’ve asked within the organization’s reach, but it’s sad to see something like this and not be upset,” he continued. “A lot of fighters stay quiet, but tomorrow it could be you going through the same situation. And when that happens, don’t message me asking for help. It’s sad that even the UFC doesn’t have control over situations like this, and that’s what ends up damaging our sport.”

Michel Pereira, known as “Demolidor”, built a reputation as one of the most entertaining fighters on the UFC roster during a welterweight run defined by acrobatic striking and highlight-reel finishes. A subsequent move to middleweight, a shift toward a more conservative fighting style, and inconsistent results steadily eroded that momentum. He exits the promotion with a 10-6 Octagon record.

The hair-pulling controversy at UFC Baku drew widespread attention at the time, with Magomedov appearing to grab his opponent’s hair on multiple occasions without receiving a point deduction from Dean. The incident has now reignited debate over officiating standards in the UFC, with one of the sport’s most prominent champions lending his voice to the criticism.