UFC 303: T-Mobile Arena; Las Vegas, Nevada
“We’re starting to run out of superlatives when talking about Alex Pereira” was the way JON ANIK described the two-division champion post-fight. And no sentence is more true. Thanks to a real head kick dead… move over Leon Edwards, he successfully defended the light heavyweight strap for the second time. Flat lining Jiri Prochazka a mere 13-seconds into round two. After a crisp left hook crumbled him at the buzzer of the opening round.
In their first scrap referee MARC GODDARD may have jumped the gun in stopping the fight. Prochazka was doing a decent job pressuring and landing on Pereira and was winning, till he wasn’t. This time the opposite can be said. Referee HERB DEAN, who is quickly becoming this generations Steve Mazzagatti was again a tad late on the stoppage.
Between rounds it was easy to tell Prochazka wasn’t still all there. With Pereira smelling blood in the water landed the vicious left head kick. Dean not immediately stopping the fight, Pereira had to go in to land unnecessary damage till Dean called it. He then helped the wobbling Czech immediately back to his feet after waiving off the fight. A move that could have created more damage.
There is a bit of irony that this main event was put together after Conor McGregor had to bow out of the main event with Michael Chandler due to a toe injury. Because with the kick bouncing off of Prochazka’s head, he reinjured his big toe. And then simply repopped it back in.
Real Head Kick Dead In Yet Another Division?
It’s been teased by some about the Brazilian making yet another divisional change. This time at heavyweight. While he was bullish about it post-fight it shouldn’t be the main target just yet. Although the kick brought back quick memories of the legendary skills of Mirko Filipovic.
It would be interesting to see how his abilities transfer up there now though. The guys up there are serious sluggers. Pereira is 36-years old, and while he has a granite chin, it has been touched. So that has to be considered. As does his decent but not great ground game. Although his takedown defense has improved slowly.
There’s at least a little more to do at 205. And a rematch between Jan Blachowicz and Magomed Ankalaev has to be put together now in a number one contender fight. Or do them each one at a time. Then after four possible successful defenses, make the move to heavyweight. You might as well clean out a division totally before leaving it.
Either way; eight-wins in 32-months, four-fight win streak, nine knockouts makes you wonder is SUPERMAN really a BRAZILIAN living in Connecticut.
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