Michel Pereira will return to MMA on December 19 against middleweight In-soo Hwang at Zombie Fight Night 5, the promotion owned by Chan Sung Jung, which announced the booking on November 2. The event will air live on UFC Fight Pass. Pereira was removed from the UFC roster in July after going 10-6 in the Octagon, and he has argued that his final UFC bout was compromised by referee Herb Dean's handling of hair-pulling by Shara Magomedov. Hwang is 9-2 and competed on Dana White's Contender Series last year, where a unanimous decision loss to Paddy McCorry cost him a UFC contract.
Michel Pereira is reportedly set to return to MMA on December 19, facing middleweight In-soo Hwang at Zombie Fight Night 5, according to a report first published by Bloody Elbow. The card is promoted by Chan Sung Jung's organization, which announced the booking on November 2, and is slated to air live on UFC Fight Pass. The matchup has not been officially confirmed.
Pereira, a 33-year-old Brazilian who trains out of Overcome Academy, carries a record of 32-15-0. The fight would be his first since his departure from the UFC roster in July, after a 10-6 run in the Octagon. He has argued that his final UFC bout, a unanimous decision loss to Shara Magomedov on June 27, was compromised by referee Herb Dean's handling of hair-pulling by Magomedov. That defeat followed a split-decision win over Zach Reese in February, and before that a first-round TKO loss to Kyle Daukaus in August 2025. Pereira stands six-foot-one with a 73-inch reach, lands 4.46 significant strikes per minute at 51 percent accuracy, and averages 1.21 takedowns per 15 minutes.
Hwang is 32 and holds a record of 8-1-0 in our records, although the report lists him at 9-2. He fought on Dana White's Contender Series last year, where a unanimous decision loss to Paddy McCorry cost him a UFC contract. He now gets a high-profile opportunity against a fighter with a deep UFC resume.
Why it matters
- Pereira gets a chance to rebuild outside the UFC after three straight Octagon bouts that produced one win and two losses.
- Hwang can score a notable name on his record and revive the momentum he lost on the Contender Series.
- The booking is a significant early signing for Zombie Fight Night 5, with Fight Pass distribution giving it a wide audience.
The fight also pairs an experienced veteran with a younger fighter whose biggest stage to date ended in defeat. Pereira has 47 professional bouts in our records, while Hwang's own totals, 11 fights by the report's count or nine in our records, are far smaller. Pereira's output of more than four significant strikes per minute gives a measure of the pace he has brought to the cage, though comparable striking figures for Hwang are not available.
