UFC on FOX 12's Hernani Perpetuo: 'Once the cage door shuts, violence ensues'

Hernani Petpetuo has high expectations for his UFC on FOX 12 showdown with Tim Means on Saturday.

The Brazilian showed glimpses of his potential in a split-decision loss to Jordan Mein in April, but he was unable to compete to the best of his ability due to the short-notice nature of the contest.

A slow start in the first and second rounds likely prevented him from earning the nod; however, he showed his resilience in the third when he brought the fight to Mein and nearly forced a stoppage.

“I started out too slow and I only kicked into high gear toward the end of the second, and into the third round,” Perpetuo told MMAjunkie of his UFC debut. “Jordan fought very strategically and managed to dominate me early on. And then in the third round, I tried to finish him since I felt I’d lose the decision otherwise.”

Now backed by a full training camp, Perpetuo (17-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) makes his sophomore UFC appearance opposite a five-fight veteran of the organization in Means (20-6-1 MMA, 2-3 UFC). The bout airs on the preliminary portion of the card, which airs on FOX and streams on UFC Fight Pass. The main card can also be viewed on FOX from SAP Center in San Jose, Calif.

“Tim Means is also a striker,” Perpetuo said. “I’ve watched his five UFC fights. He’s back at welterweight. I think it will be a great fight since I’m also a striker. The difference this time will be my motivation. I’ll be going harder after a win.”

While both men prefer to keep their fights standing, Means has racked up nearly twice as many knockout victories throughout his career.

The numbers don’t lie, but after training alongside some of the best in his home country of Brazil, Perpetuo is confident in his capabilities as a striker.

“During my previous camp, there were some unexpected events,” Perpetuo said. “My boxing trainer, who lives in São Paulo, couldn’t make it to Rio, and he wasn’t able to get a travel visa. It made a big difference. But this time around, he did join me in Rio. I also trained a lot of muay Thai with Pedro Rizzo.”

With only one UFC fight to his name, Perpetuo is unknown to many fight fans. He hopes his performance against Means will change all of that, especially because he promises to bring brutality to the octagon.

“Once the cage door shuts, violence ensues,” Perpetuo said. “Expect a lot of violence in my fights.”

For more on UFC on FOX 12, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.