When Alex Perez appeared as a contestant on Dana White's Contender Series in 2017, he went in thinking it was his last chance in MMA.
At that time, Perez was more than six years into his pro career. That's a long time for someone to fight on the regional circuit and never get an invitation to the big show. Especially someone with a good record -- Perez was 17-4 when he made his UFC debut. He lives in California and had fought in promotions that have a history of sending talent to the UFC.