Alex Pereira won the vacant UFC light-heavyweight title tonight at UFC 295 with a second round TKO Finish of Jiri Prochazka.
Round One:
The light-heavyweight interim title fight is underway in NYC.
Calf kick from range for Prochazka. He lands another. Leg kick for Pereira. Now a higher kick from Pereira doesn’t land cleanly.
Prochazka ducks and then throws an uppercut that lands. Big calf kick from Pereira takes Prochazka clean off his feet. He gets back and is ok though.
Another leg kick for Pereira. Pereira stalking forward now and thumps another calf kick in that seems to be giving Prochazka problems already.
Another leg kick for Pereira. Prochazka now looking to let his hands go. He lands a punch to the body too. Now Prochazka goes for a takedown attempt against the cage. However Pereira counters with a standing guillotine choke.
Prochazka stays patient and is able to survive that and then lands the takedown with two minutes to work. Prochazka in a high half-guard here. Pereira trying to work to stifle Prochazka’s posture on top. Prochazka adjusts position. He lands a short series of solid punches.
Pereira starting to work back to his feet and manages to do so. He lands a punch as they separate. Now a leg kick for Pereira. Prochazka sneaks in an uppercut before the round ends.
Round Two:
Jab for Prochazka. Fast one-two from Pereira. Prochazka probing with his jab. Body punch from Pereira. jumping push kick from Prochazka.
Kick off the arm from Prochazka. Jab for Pereira. Now a body kick for Pereira. A couple of leg kicks land too.
Both seem to land a punch at the same time. Now a right hand for Prochazka. Prochazka pressuring and lands a big punch against the cage that seems to have Pereira a bit dazed, with more punches following behind it. Pereira survives though.
Solid calf kick for Pereira. Another lands after a stance switch and back again from Prochazka. Prochazka into the clinch now against the cage.
Pereira able to break away from the clinch. He lands a jab. Now a glancing right hand. A leg kick each exchanged.
Prochazka with a reaching punch that lands and he continues on the offensive. In close quarters Pereira lands a right hook followed by a stiff left that drops Prochazka to his knees.
Prochazka immediately grabs the legs and clings on, but Pereira blasts him with hammerfists and elbows to the head. Prochazka falls backwards and Pereira lands in mount, and at that moment the ref steps in and ends the fight for a TKO finish at 4.08mins of the second round.
There’s some feeling that perhaps the stoppage was a little premature, but in his Octagon interview afterwards Prochazka himself says it was the right decision.
Either way Alex Pereira is your new UFC light-heavyweight champion and now joins a short list of stars who have won titles in two divisions.
