After putting on a tactical striking performance that belied his reputation as a wild man, Pereira (23-11, 2 NC) committed a major error midway through the third round, landing a clearly illegal knee on a grounded Diego Sanchez (29-12) in the welterweight co-main event of UFC Rio Rancho on Saturday.
After much deliberation between Sanchez, referee Jason Herzog, and the in-cage physician, it was eventually ruled a disqualification win for Sanchez at the 3:09 mark of round three.
The New Mexico crowd cheered the verdict, happy to see home state hero Sanchez pick up the win and improve his UFC record to 19-12.