Dorian Perez is officially back in title contention.
After defeating Nate Burnard at Power Slap 20, “Disturbing the Peace” made one thing very clear:
he wants Damon DeBell next.
And according to Perez, this time will be different.
“I feel like I almost got it done last time against DeBell.”
Now, with another dominant performance added to his résumé, Perez says he’s preparing to go all in for a rematch with the champion.
“If I Stay On Target, I Beat Him Every Time”
Perez believes the biggest difference between his first fight with Damon DeBell and a potential rematch comes down to one thing:
accuracy.
He admitted that in previous fights, missing shots sometimes caused him to mentally spiral during competition.
“If I miss one, I start like, ‘Ah, fuck, I’m gonna miss again.’”
Against Nate Burnard, however, Perez says he overcame that issue in real time.
After missing his first strike, he settled himself down and adjusted through the later rounds.
“You can either sink or swim.”
And now, he believes he’s solved the biggest weakness in his game.
“If I can just stay completely on target, I beat him every time.”
Nate Burnard Earned His Respect
While Perez handled business against Burnard, he admitted afterward that Nate was far tougher than expected.
“Tough as nails, dude.”
Perez revealed that Burnard’s first slap genuinely surprised him.
“He hit me the first time and I didn’t expect him to hit me that hard.”
Rather than discouraging him, though, Perez embraced the challenge.
“We’re in for a good fight. This is what we want.”
For Perez, Power Slap is about more than quick knockouts.
It’s about wars.
“We want to go out there and put our heart on the line.”
The Psychology Behind the Trash Talk
One of the more interesting moments in the interview came when Perez explained why his demeanor changes leading into fights.
While he was respectful toward Burnard early in promotion, the trash talk escalated dramatically closer to fight night.
Perez says that’s intentional.
According to him, he tries to psychologically push opponents into fighting harder.
“Sometimes I gotta say things to people that are gonna make them fight harder.”
He even referenced his infamous rivalry with Dwayne Crespo, saying he intentionally tried to pull a different version out of him mentally.
“I want to change you.”
Perez admitted it may be a strange psychological game, but one he fully embraces.
From Backyard Slaps to the Big Stage
Perez also reflected on how far Power Slap has come since the early days.
From small tryouts and Streetbeefs appearances to packed venues like The Chelsea, he says he always believed he was heading in the right direction.
“I just had faith that I was doing the right thing.”
For Perez, combat sports became something much deeper than entertainment or competition.
He described fighting as therapy — and even spiritual in some ways.
“This means something deeper to me than just winning and losing.”
Final Message for Damon DeBell
Perez closed the interview with one final warning directed straight at the champion.
Looking directly into the camera, he delivered the line that immediately became one of the standout moments of the night:
“Damon DeBell, you got away last time, boy.”
“I’m gonna beat your ass.”