Alex Pereira secured victory over Jiri Prochazka, earning the distinction of being a two-division UFC champion in only seven bouts within the promotion and 11 total MMA fights. This remarkable accomplishment mirrors his success in Glory Kickboxing, where he simultaneously held two titles.
Pereira demonstrated superior technical prowess on the feet, utilizing punishing calf kicks and precise counterpunches to dismantle his opponent.
Despite his relatively limited experience in the sport, Alex Pereira continues to achieve significant milestones, showcasing an impressive performance. The light heavyweight division appears to be a more suitable fit for Pereira, given his size and stature, and he is poised to pose a considerable challenge to the top contenders in the division.
Looking ahead, Pereira promptly expressed interest in a rematch with Israel Adesanya, highlighting his confidence in not having to navigate multiple fights to earn a title shot at 205. This proactive approach adds an admirable touch to his post-fight commentary.
At UFC 295, Pereira’s striking prowess was on full display, showcasing his exceptional stand-up skills. Joe Rogan, who has previously acknowledged Pereira’s kickboxing expertise, reaffirmed this sentiment. According to Rogan, ‘Poatan’ is a “specialist” in the realm of brilliant kickboxing, a skill set that evidently translates well into success within the UFC.
“I was very excited that he was going to compete in MMA because I know how extraordinary he is in kickboxing, and there’s something about specialists, whether they’re specialists in wrestling or specialists in kickboxing, said Joe Rogan. Interestingly enough, Rogan was one of the first to talk about Pereira when he was just about to take up MMA professionally back in 2015.
Joe Rogan defends Marc Goddard’s stoppage at UFC 295
The bout between Alex Pereira and Jiri Blachowicz concluded amid controversy, with commentators Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier expressing the belief that referee Mark Goddard had prematurely halted the fight. Nevertheless, Prochazka clarified the situation by asserting that it was the correct decision.
However, Rogan then also defended the referee, as he felt Goddard was experienced enough to know the fight. “Look, Goddard is the closest. He’s right there; he’s looking into their eyes; he’s seeing Jiri’s eyes roll back in his head. Goddard is as good as it gets. He’s one of the best referees in the world,” said Rogan.
This defeat marked the first in the UFC for ‘The Czech Samurai’ and only the fourth in his overall career up to this point, concluding a streak of victories in mixed martial arts that spanned back to mid-2016.
It also marked his return to the octagon after a significant shoulder injury late in 2022, which kept him sidelined for almost a year and led to him relinquishing the 205-lbs title he had won from Pereira’s trainer, Glover Teixeira, at UFC 275.