Jose Perez promising big results at CFFC 112: 'This one will be my best performance'
Jose Perez showed incredible heart in his most recent CFFC appearance, scoring a hard-fought decision win over fellow blue-chip prospect Paul Capaldo this past January in one of the best fights in the promotion's history.
But as Perez readies for his return to action at Friday's CFFC 112, the 27-year-old featherweight isn't looking for a repeat performance.
"This one will be my best performance," Perez said. "The last fight was the most exciting performance I've had, but this one is the one where I'm going to look like a world beater."
Perez made his professional debut in 2020 and quickly rattled off four straight wins, including three first-round submissions. He was then dealt a shocking setback when he was clipped by DeAndre Anderson, ending their 2021 clash in just 11 seconds.
However, Perez has since bounced back in fine fashion, scoring hard-fought decision wins over two previously undefeated opponents – Capaldo and Isa Dalipaj – in matchups that featured his striking on display rather than just his submission skills. Perez credits a newfound mental focus for his success.
"The loss was obviously a tailspin, but I knew what I was supposed to do," Perez said. "I knew that there were things that were involved in that loss that kind of set me up for failure, I should say, so the loss just give me a chance to wake up and right my wrongs, and now, the last two guys have been quality opponents, and it does feel like this is a second coming.
"I had that quick tear where I ran through everybody right before that loss, but really what's been setting me up for winning these last two has been a completely different mental approach. I always kind of talk about getting the right mental cocktail going in my head, and I've got it down. I'm ready to go."
On Friday, Perez (6-1) headlines CFFC 112, taking on Frank Wells (3-1) in the night's main event, which streams live on UFC FIGHT PASS from Philadelphia's 2300 Arena as part of a two-night run of events for the promotion. With reigning CFFC featherweight champion Blake Bilder booked for Dana White's Contender Series next week, Perez and Wells compete for an interim title.
Perez praised his opponents skills but said Wells' game doesn't impact how he approaches the fight.
"I think Frank is really skilled," Perez said. "Obviously, he favors the kickboxing department. I know that he's from that Renzo Gracie New York team as far as the jiu-jitsu things go, so I'm sure he knows something down there, but my gameplan is always the same. It's kind of like a bit of beauty for me that I don't ever really have to adjust my gameplan too much – maybe small tweaks here and there and add some positive habits for the opponent that I'm looking at, but I'm able to strike with anybody. The takedowns have been 100 percent successful. My takedown defense has been 100 percent successful, and the gameplan is always the same.
"I'm going to strike. I'm not going to dive for legs. I'm going to let things organically play out, and when the takedown presents itself and I have good timing for it, then I'll go for it. But again, I'm not going to dive for legs. If I'm fighting a striker, I'm going to strike, and when it's there, I'm going to take him down and get my submission. If he was a grappler, it's the same thing. We're going to stand up, strike, and I'm going to take him down, and I'm still going to get my submission."
With a victory, the sport's biggest promotions would likely come calling, but Perez isn't trying to force the issue and is instead simply aiming to perform at his full potential each time he steps in the cage.
"I guess we've been flirting with the idea of the UFC for a long time, and I always have everyone in my ear kind of telling me like, 'Oh, this is the one,' or 'The next one is the one,' or 'If you do this, this will happen,'" Perez said. "I think Capaldo is the biggest one we were seeing. I was off the losing streak. I had just got a big win over an undefeated guy like Isa Dalipaj, and Capaldo guy is the guy they're looking at because he had just gotten off of Dana White's Contender Series. He didn't get to do his run because of COVID, but but that's something that they were definitely looking at – and even just by the way that like people were talking about him as far as like the UFC Fight Pass page was posting on Twitter, and everyone kind of expected him to knock me out and get his contract and ride off into the sunset.
"We felt that if I took him out and did it in a good way, that would be enough to get me into the UFC, and it wasn't, so the one thing I learned is that if there's one thing I know, it's that I don't know. I don't know when they're going to call me. I don't know what I have to do to get that, so I'm not banking on it. Maybe I'll do something spectacular, and I get a call, or maybe I do something spectacular and I still don't get the call. I have no clue. I'm not in charge of that, but I'm getting back to what got me here. My pedal is back on the floor."
It's another big moment for Perez, but he believes he's up to the challenge. If things go well, the challenges are only going to get more intense, and Perez says the entire Gilbert Grappling squad is ready for exactly that.
"I'm just excited for the team," Perez said. "You got to see us last month at CFFC 111, where my teammates had spectacular performances in Tunica. We're primed for something bigger. It's not just me. It's the whole team. I'm glad that we're all here together now."
