| Markus Perez Echeimberg | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1990-06-22)June 22, 1990 (age 35) São Paulo, Brazil |
| Other names | Maluko |
| Height | 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m) |
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) |
| Division | Light Heavyweight Middleweight Welterweight |
| Reach | 73 in (185 cm) |
| Fighting out of | São Paulo, Brazil |
| Team | Viscardi Andrade Team Veras TK American Top Team[1] |
| Teacher | Viscardi Andradre[2] |
| Rank | Brown belt inBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu[3] Black prajiad inMuay Thai[3] |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 21 |
| Wins | 14 |
| By knockout | 3 |
| By submission | 8 |
| By decision | 3 |
| Losses | 7 |
| By knockout | 1 |
| By decision | 6 |
| Other information | |
| Occupation | software developer[4] |
| Mixed martial arts record fromSherdog | |
Markus Perez Echeimberg[5] (born June 22, 1990) is a Brazilianmixed martial artist currently competing in theMiddleweight division. A professional since 2013, he has also fought forUltimate Fighting Championship (UFC),Jungle Fight and theLegacy Fighting Alliance, where he is the former Middleweight Champion.
Echeimberg started trainingKung-Fu styleEagle Claw in 2008 to impersonateBruce Lee[6] and later transitioned tomixed martial arts (MMA) after his brother took him to a jiu-jitsu class.[3] Prior competing full-time in MMA, Markus worked as aninformation technology engineer at technology school and he was also a freelancedsoftware developer, and he quit his job and college to teachMuay Thai and competed inBrazilian jiu-jitsu to make a living so he could pursue MMA full-time. After made it to the preliminary round ofThe Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3, he gained his parents support as they realized his seriousness of his MMA career choice.[4]
Echeimberg fought in the Brazilian-based promotions and amassed of a record of 9–0 prior joining UFC after winning theLegacy Fighting Alliance (LFA) middleweight championship.[7][8]
Echeimberg was chosen to be a fighter onThe Ultimate Fighter: Brazil 3. In the opening elimination round, he lost to Guilherme Vasconcelos via submission (rear-naked choke) in the first round.[5]
Less than two months after winning the vacantLegacy Fighting Alliance (LFA), Echeimberg was signed by UFC. Perez made his UFC debut on December 9, 2017, againstEryk Anders, replacingJohn Phillips, atUFC Fight Night 123.[8] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[9]
His next fight came on May 12, 2018, against James Bochnovic atUFC 224.[10] He won the fight via a submission.[11]
On August 25, 2018, Perez facedAndrew Sanchez, replacingAntonio Braga Neto, atUFC Fight Night 135.[12] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[13]
Perez faced promotional newcomerAnthony Hernandez on February 2, 2019, atUFC on ESPN+ 2.[14] He won the fight via technical submission in the second round.[15]
Perez was scheduled to face promotional newcomerDeron Winn on June 22, 2019, atUFC on ESPN+ 11[16] However, it was reported on May 9, 2019, that Perez pulled out of the fight due to injury.[17]
Perez was scheduled to faceJack Marshman on November 16, 2019, atUFC on ESPN+ 22.[18] However, Marshman was pulled from the event for undisclosed reason and he was replaced by Wellington Turman.[19]
Perez facedWellington Turman on November 16, 2019, atUFC Fight Night: Błachowicz vs. Jacaré.[20] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[21]
Perez was scheduled to faceAlessio Di Chirico, replacing Abu Azaitar, on April 11, 2020, atUFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Harris.[22] Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, the event was eventually cancelled.[23]
Perez was scheduled to faceEric Spicely on August 1, 2020, atUFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Shahbazyan.[24] However, Spicely was removed from the fight on the day of the event's weigh-in for health issues related to his weight cut. Perez will now face Charles Ontiveros[25]
Perez was scheduled to faceRodolfo Vieira on October 11, 2020 atUFC Fight Night 179,[26] However, on September 21, Vieira pulled out due to undisclosed reasons,[27] and he was replaced by promotional newcomerDricus du Plessis.[28] Perez lost the fight via knockout in round one.[29]
Perez facedDalcha Lungiambula, replacing Isi Fitikefu, on January 20, 2021, atUFC on ESPN 20.[30] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[31]
On February 4, 2021, it was announced that Perez was released from his UFC contract.[32]
Perez was scheduled to face Shane O'Shea at Titan FC 68 on March 26, 2021.[33] However, the bout was cancelled due to an unknown reason.
Perez was scheduled to face Christiano Frohlich on July 2, 2021, atLFA 110.[34] The bout was scratched days before the event for unknown reasons.[35]
Perez faced Zac Pauga on October 17, 2021, at Cage Warriors 130. He lost the bout via unanimous decision.[36]
Perez faced Filipe Moitinho on December 19, 2021, at Thunder Fight 33. He won the bout via guillotine submission 33 seconds into the bout.[37]
Perez facedEmiliano Sordi at Gamebred FC 4 in a bare-knuckle MMA bout on May 5, 2023,[38] losing the bout via unanimous decision.[39]
On December 11, 2024, it was announced that Perez was signed by Global Fight League.[40] However, in April 2025, it was reported that all GFL events were cancelled indefinitely.[41]
Echeimberg's moniker "Maluko", an adaptation of the word "maluco" which means "crazy" in Portuguese, was given by his teammates, who thought he was crazy after he asked his coach if he could wearKung Fu pants and shoes while he was boxing training to impersonateBruce Lee.[6]
| 21 matches | 14 wins | 7 losses |
| By knockout | 3 | 1 |
| By submission | 8 | 0 |
| By decision | 3 | 6 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 14–7 | Emiliano Sordi | Decision (unanimous) | Gamebred Fighting Championship 4 | May 5, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States | Bare Knuckle MMA. |
| Win | 14–6 | Chase Gamble | Submission (rear-naked choke) | AFL: Invincible 2023 | January 20, 2023 | 1 | 2:10 | Hollywood, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 13–6 | Filipe Moitinho | Submission (guillotine choke) | Thunder Fight 33 | December 19, 2021 | 1 | 0:33 | São Bernardo do Campo, Brazil | Return to Middleweight. |
| Loss | 12–6 | Zac Pauga | Decision (unanimous) | Cage Warriors 130 | October 17, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | San Diego, California, United States | Light Heavyweight debut. |
| Loss | 12–5 | Dalcha Lungiambula | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on ESPN: Magny vs. Chiesa | January 20, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Loss | 12–4 | Dricus du Plessis | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. Sandhagen | October 11, 2020 | 1 | 3:22 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Loss | 12–3 | Wellington Turman | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Błachowicz vs. Jacaré | November 16, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Win | 12–2 | Anthony Hernandez | Technical Submission (anaconda choke) | UFC Fight Night: Assunção vs. Moraes 2 | February 2, 2019 | 2 | 1:07 | Fortaleza, Brazil | |
| Loss | 11–2 | Andrew Sanchez | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Gaethje vs. Vick | August 25, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Lincoln, Nebraska, United States | |
| Win | 11–1 | James Bochnovic | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 224 | May 12, 2018 | 1 | 4:28 | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | |
| Loss | 10–1 | Eryk Anders | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Ortega | December 9, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Fresno, California, United States | |
| Win | 10–0 | Ian Heinisch | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | LFA 22 | September 8, 2017 | 1 | 2:14 | Broomfield, Colorado, United States | Won the vacantLFA Middleweight Championship. |
| Win | 9–0 | Ildemar Alcântara | Decision (unanimous) | Arzalet Fighting Globe Championship 1 | February 10, 2017 | 1 | 2:14 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Win | 8–0 | Paulo Thiago | Decision (unanimous) | Thunder Fight 7 | June 25, 2016 | 5 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | Won the vacant TF Middleweight Championship. |
| Win | 7–0 | Fabricio Almeida Gonçalves | KO (spinning back elbow) | Aspera Fighting Championship 38 | May 27, 2016 | 3 | 0:34 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Win | 6–0 | Anderson Melo | TKO (punches) | Battle of Kings | December 5, 2015 | 1 | 1:27 | Ilhéus, Brazil | Welterweight bout. |
| Win | 5–0 | Rafael Silva | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Thunder Fight 2 | December 19, 2014 | 1 | 2:42 | São Paulo, Brazil | Middleweight debut. |
| Win | 4–0 | Giovani Colombo | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | Interior Fight: Fight For Your Destiny | October 26, 2013 | 1 | 0:30 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Win | 3–0 | Bruno da Silva | Submission (kneebar) | Jungle Fight 58 | September 14, 2013 | 1 | 3:17 | São Paulo, Brazil | Welterweight bout. |
| Win | 2–0 | Marcelo Matias | Decision (unanimous) | RSF 5 | August 24, 2013 | 3 | 5:00 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Win | 1–0 | Rene Pessoa | TKO (punches) | Pegada Magazine: Desafio Revista Pegada | April 18, 2013 | 2 | 3:29 | São Paulo, Brazil |
| 2 fights | 2 wins | 0 losses |
|---|---|---|
| By knockout | 2 | 0 |
| Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 2-0 | Jay Dabelus | KO | 1 (4),1:31 | Apr 27, 2024 | Miami, Florida, U.S. | |
| Win | 1-0 | Joe Riggs | TKO (ankle injury) | 3 (6),1:19 | Apr 1, 2023 | Fiserv Forum,Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| 3 matches | 2 wins | 1 loss |
| By knockout | 1 | 0 |
| By decision | 1 | 1 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 2-1 | Uriah Hall | Decision (unanimous) | Karate Combat 57 | October 31, 2025 | 4 | 3:00 | Miami, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 2-0 | Artur Alibulatov | TKO (punches) | Karate Combat 50 | October 11, 2024 | 3 | 1:51 | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | |
| Win | 1-0 | Bam Morris | Decision (unanimous) | Karate Combat 46 | May 30, 2024 | 3 | 3:00 | Austin, Texas, United States |
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