Pereira Knocks Out Prochazka To Retain Belt
Alex Pereira knocks out Jiri Prochazka in second round victory to retain his light-heavyweight title at UFC 303 in Las Vegas to continue his impressive reign as champion.
With a left high-kick in the second round, Pereira, the 36 year old Brazilian, floored Prochazka, a 31 years old Czech republican fighter at the T-Mobile Arena in an impressive and stunning entertainment to the sold-out crowd.
It was Pereira’s second win over Prochazka after stopping him in round two of their fight in November to win the light-heavyweight title.
The former middleweight champion has won two titles and made two defences in just nine fights since his UFC debut in November 2021 in one of the most remarkable runs in the promotion’s history.
“I’ve been saying all week I was going to be victorious. I didn’t say how I was going to win, but I knew I was going to leave the octagon happy,” said Pereira.
Pereira and Prochazka stepped in at short notice to fight after Conor McGregor pulled out of his headlining bout with Michael Chandler earlier this month due to broken toe injury.
The event marked the second time in three months that Pereira had topped a big event after headlining the landmark UFC 300 in March.
In the absence of McGregor, the UFC broadcast team described Pereira as the “biggest star in mixed martial arts today”.
Before the fighter introductions, the stoic, motionless pair locked eyes for a number of minutes, mirroring the intense staredown before their encounter in November.
Pereira opened the fight with leg kicks before landing a left hook and jab on Prochazka, whose best moment of the fight came as he initiated a clinch.
The defining moment of the opening five minutes came right at the end of the round as Pereira’s thunderous left hook dropped Prochazka, with the bell preventing any follow-up.
The Czech’s corner team could be seen putting ice on his head to try to sharpen his senses, but it was in vain as just 13 seconds into the second round Pereira delivered his fight-ending kick.
After the bout, he hinted at a move to heavyweight and an attempt to become the first three-division champion in UFC history.
“I think that’s in my future. There doesn’t seem to be too much interest from the organisation but I’m here, I think it’s in my future,” said Pereira.
“I think the fans have a lot of say in this. In the end these are the people who pay for this. If this is what they want, it’s going to be inevitable.”
