NEW YORK – Alex Pereira scored a superb second-round knockout win over Jiri Prochazka to claim the light heavyweight crown at UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) 295 at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, 364 days after winning the middleweight title at the same venue.
The 36-year-old kickboxer landed a short left hook late in the second frame to stun his Czech opponent and followed it up with a flurry of fists and elbows that further impaired Prochazka, forcing referee Marc Goddard to stop the fight.
Replays appeared to show that Prochazka was making his way back to his feet rather swiftly, but Pereira felt that the stoppage was justified.
“I’m not surprised,” the Brazilian said afterwards. “After the first left hook and another one, he fell down to my legs. I don’t believe it was a bad stoppage. It’s a great honour for me.”
His opponent did not have complaints as well.
“I think in the end, it was right,” Prochazka said. “I was out but I will never stop. S**t happens. For me, it’s a big learn, let’s work on that and be back stronger than ever. Thank you Alex. Thank you for this fight. I’ll be back.”
Pereira, who knocked out Israel Adesanya on Nov 12, 2022 to win the middleweight belt before losing it in April in a rematch, had some early success with some vicious kicks, but Prochazka’s precise striking posed a problem.
The 31-year-old Czech continued to switch stances and press forward, but his aggression was eventually punished when he was caught out by some counter-punches by Pereira that paved the Brazilian’s path to victory.
Pereira then used his post-fight interview to call on Adesanya to step up to light heavyweight and face him in a third title fight, saying “Adesanya, come to daddy”.
“I’m not the type of guy to call people out but there’s a guy that back in the day (who) did some interviews and said I was a guy who was just going to stay in the bar,” he added.
“That motivated me. He rescued me from a bar to be here today. I know it’s a guy we have a lot of history. I want to make this fight happen.”
In the co-main event, England’s Tom Aspinall knocked out Sergei Pavlovich in the first round to win the interim heavyweight title.
“It’s been a crazy two-and-a-half weeks,” he said.
“I really believe in myself and I’ve worked so hard over the years. If you ever get the chance to do something and you’re scared to do it, you should absolutely do it.”
REUTERS
