Post-UFC Pereira heads to South Korea for Korean Zombie's Z-Fight Night 5

Michel Pereira will make his post-UFC debut at Z-Fight Night 5 on December 19 in Incheon, South Korea, facing local middleweight In Su Hwang in a bout organised by the promotion founded by former UFC fan favourite Chan Sung Jung, widely known as “The Korean Zombie.”

Pereira (32-15, 2 NC) wrapped up his UFC contract in February before returning on a one-fight deal to meet Sharabutdin Magomedov at UFC Baku in June. He dropped that contest by unanimous decision and entered free agency having lost four of his final five bouts inside the Octagon.

Hwang (9-2) is no stranger to the UFC spotlight himself, having unsuccessfully pursued a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series last year. The South Korean bounced back from that setback with a third-round technical knockout win in May, and now gets the chance to test himself against a veteran of the world’s biggest MMA organisation on home soil.

The matchup pits a Brazilian showman whose acrobatic style made him a cult figure in the UFC against a hungry regional contender looking to prove he belongs at the highest level. For Pereira, the bout represents a chance to rebuild momentum and potentially attract fresh interest from major promotions, while for Hwang it is the most significant fight of his career to date.

Z-Fight Night, backed by the credibility of Jung’s name and profile in South Korea, has quickly established itself as one of Asia’s more prominent regional MMA platforms. Jung, a two-time UFC featherweight title challenger who headlined several pay-per-view cards during his career, retired from competition in 2023 and has since channelled his energy into building the promotion.