UFC fighter Ailin Perez performs salacious celebration after making opponent tap out

Ailin Perez notched her fourth consecutive victory on Saturday night when she defeated Darya Zheleznyakova via submission at UFC Fight Night 243.

Perez made Zheleznyakova tap out at the 3:53 mark in the first round.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

The win was huge for Perez as she hoped to climb into contention for the UFC bantamweight championship. The title is held by Raquel Pennington, who came into the fight ranked 15th.

What made fans turn their heads in the immediate aftermath was Perez’s celebration. She got up from the hold she had on Zheleznyakova and proceeded to twerk in her face.

"Darya said some very disrespectful things about me before the fight so I had to do it," Perez said in response to journalist Ariel Helwani’s reaction to the move.

UFC STAR ISRAEL ADESANYA APPEARS TO SPIT ON MAN DURING ROAD RAGE INCIDENT: ‘I DARE YOU TO TRY ME’

The 29-year-old Argentine fighter missed weight by a half-pound as she weighed in over the 136-pound bantamweight limit and appeared to have suffered a brutal weight cut on Friday morning. She was forced to forfeit 20% of her purse to Zheleznyakova, according to Yahoo Sports.

Perez moved to 11-2 in her mixed martial arts career. She’s 4-1 since she made her UFC debut in September 2022, when she lost to Stephanie Egger. She hasn’t lost since.

Previously, she’s fought in Samurai Fight House, Natal Fight Championship, Collision Fight Ultimate and Mixed Real World Fighters.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Drake Hogestyn, 'Days of our Lives' veteran, dead from cancer a day before his birthday

"Days of our Lives" actor Drake Hogestyn has passed away, one day before what would have been his 71st birthday.

The family of the longtime soap star, who had appeared in nearly 4,300 episodes, shared a statement on the show's social media Saturday evening.

"It's with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Drake Hogestyn. He was thrown the curve ball of his life when he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, but he faced the challenge with incredible strength and determination. After putting up an unbelievable fight, he passed peacefully surrounded by loved ones."

HOLLYWOOD STARS WHO DIED IN 2024: PHOTOS

"He was the most amazing husband, father, papa, and actor. He loved performing for the Days audience and sharing the stage with the greatest cast, crew, and production team in the business," the family wrote.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Hogestyn took on the role of John Black – an undercover agent for a fictional intelligence unit – in 1986. His character garnered interest for its dramatic backstory; Black was actually Roman Brady (played by Wayne Northrop), who had died two years earlier on the show. After plastic surgery and amnesia, he reappeared as a new man. He and Deirdre Hall were married on the show and were one of television's most beloved couples.

The actor briefly exited "Days of our Lives" in 2009, only to return in 2011. 

Several of Hogestyn's current and former costars mourned the actor. Alison Sweeney, who left the program in 2022, shared her heartbreak on X, writing in part, "[Drake] cared about every single scene, every single person."

His TV son, Christopher Sean, called Hogestyn a "true hero."

His TV daughter, Martha Madison, wrote a heartfelt tribute on Instagram. 

"One of my favorite memories of Drake was from not too long ago," she wrote in part. "He knew I was super nervous as I was preparing to deliver a five page deathbed monologue, and after we finished the scene (both soaked in tears and snot), he gave me a huge hug and whispered, 'Kid, it was like that moment when you hear the crack of the bat against a long ball that flies into the stands and the crowd goes wild.'"

APP USERS CLICK HERE TO VIEW INSTAGRAM

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

Australian actor Dan Feuerriegel, who only joined the series in 2021, noted how welcoming the veteran actor was on set.

Hogestyn is survived by his childhood sweetheart Victoria and their four children, as well as grandchildren.