Ailin Perez made her UFC debut at UFC Paris this weekend, but it was short lived after being choked out by her opponent Stephanie Egger in just the second round.Although making her debut in the sport, the Argentinian shot to fame at the weigh-in after she twerked on the stage.She signed to the promotion earlier on in 2022 after previously fighting in an Argentinian promotion called Samurai Fight House where she clinched the bantamweight title before switching to the UFC.During her debut bout, she impressed at times, but she lasted less than two rounds with Egger choking her out after her weigh-in antics.Egger was prompted to talk about them before the fight, saying: âI learn respect for my opponents. If she wants to twerk she can twerk, but when we're in the cage it's all about fighting not twerking. I don't like to talk much, so I prefer to just go in the cage and fight.âShe certainly let her fighting do the talking with a dramatic win, showing us just what she thought of Perezâs twerking, brutally choking her out inside just two rounds, very impressive.The Argentinian has been doing this all her fighting career, even prior to joining Dana Whiteâs promotion, defending her actions by saying: âI enjoy it and thatâs the way I express my happiness.âApart from being a fighter, I was also a dancer. I danced reggaeton, salsa, and bachata, so thatâs in my blood. Many people say, âIf you know how to dance, you know how to fight.â I enjoy it, and thatâs a way I express my happiness.âI have the assassin side of me, and my happy part. Thatâs how âFionaâ is. Princess Fiona is an ogre who dances, whoâs very sweet, but when it comes time to fight, sheâs firm and moves forward. Thatâs why they call me that.â
So as well as twerking on stage, she has now referenced Shrek when telling us how she sees herself in the Octagon, combining those two things are surely going to get her plenty of new fans!
Despite the debut not going as planned for Perez, she will have taken a lot from her opening bout and will be able to use that going forward in her second outing.
Thereâs plenty of work for her to do if she is to repeat her feat from her Samurai Fight House career and become a champion once again.