Alex Caceres was viewed more as an oddity than a legitimate competitor when he first entered the Ultimate Fighting Championship. More than a decade later, such sentiments no longer hold weight.
As Caceres seeks to rebound from his latest setback, a look at five of the many moments that have come to define him:
1. Stumbling Block
World Extreme Cagefighting veteran Mackens Semerzier submitted Caceres with a rear-naked choke in the first round of their UFC Fight Night 24 prelim on March 26, 2011 at KeyArena in Seattle. Caceres capitulated 3:18 into Round 1, as he crashed and burned in his organizational debut. Semerzier capitalized on recklessness and mounted the colorful Miami-based fighter on the third of his three takedowns, transitioned to Caceres’ back and went to work with punches. He seized further control with a body triangle and caught Caceres in the choke as he postured up from the bottom. The tapout followed soon after, as Semerzier put the finishing touches on a rude welcome.
2. Striking Paydirt
Caceres recorded what was at the time the most significant victory of his career when he took a unanimous decision from former WEC champion Cole Escovedo as part of the UFC on Fox 1 undercard on Nov. 12, 2011 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California. All three cageside judges struck 30-27 scorecards. Caceres established his reach advantage early with his legs and his arms, and his counterpart never managed to successfully navigate it. Combos—technical and at times flashy—flowed from Caceres, who scored at will on the feet and left the “Apache Kid” visibly frustrated. When the action did spill onto the ground, Caceres fought effectively from his back. Escovedo struck for a quick takedown in Round 3, only to be met with a series of submission attempts, including a triangle choke and an armbar. Back on the feet, Caceres’ superiority was unquestioned, as he kept the seasoned veteran at bay and posted his first win inside the Octagon.
3. Phenomenal Upset
A steppingstone Caceres was not. “The Ultimate Fighter 12” semifinalist submitted prized Roufusport prospect Sergio Pettis with a rear-naked choke in the third round of their featured UFC on Fox 10 bantamweight prelim on Jan. 25, 2014 at the United Center in Chicago. The previously unbeaten Pettis, just 20 years of age at the time, tapped 4:39 into Round 3. No victory on the Caceres resume has aged better. He appeared to be outgunned and a step slow through the first five minutes, as Pettis peppered him with an array of punches and kicks. However, everything changed in the second round, where Caceres floored the Milwaukee native with a searing straight left. Pettis seemed out of sorts from that point forward. In the third round, Pettis failed on a takedown attempt and wound up in bottom position. He then fished for a heel hook, only to leave himself exposed. Caceres transitioned to his back, cinched the choke and landed the submission with a little more than 20 seconds remaining in the match.
4. Throttled Down
Former King of the Cage and WEC champion Urijah Faber submitted Caceres with a rear-naked choke in the third round of their featured UFC 175 bantamweight prelim on July 5, 2014 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Faber brought it to a close 69 seconds into Round 3. “The California Kid” used a tried-and-true approach, pairing right hands with takedowns and ground-and-pound. Caceres had his moments, including an exquisite two-punch combination in the second round that snapped back Faber’s head. However, he found himself on the defensive far too often. Faber struck for a final takedown early in the third round, transitioned immediately to his opponent’s back and cinched the choke.
5. Close Call
“The Ultimate Fighter Latin America” Season 1 winner Yair Rodriguez pushed a merciless pace across five rounds at elevation and escaped with a split decision against Caceres in the UFC Fight Night 92 headliner on Aug. 6, 2016 at the Vivint Smart Home Arena in Salt Lake City. Judges Glenn Trowbridge and Tony Weeks saw it 48-47 for Rodriguez, while Derek Cleary struck a 49-46 scorecard for Caceres. Rodriguez blended traditional techniques with wild spinning attacks and unorthodox kicks. The taekwondo black belt at times overwhelmed Caceres with volume but never had the MMA Lab rep in real danger. Caceres made his most substantial moves in the third round, where he flurried with punches, connected with a knee to the body and scrambled into to top position, applying his ground-and-pound from a crouched position. Rodriguez righted his ship in Round 4, as he backed up “Bruce Leeroy” with kicks to the legs, punches upstairs and another barrage of spinning punches and kicks. Though Caceres landed a takedown in the fifth round, he failed to consolidate it with damage or control. Rodriguez kept his foot on the accelerator until the end, capping his performance with a last-second cartwheel kick that missed the mark but nevertheless wowed the crowd.