- Alex Pereira dropped his opponent with the head kick in the second round
- Both fighters traded blows before Pereira’s brutal KO ensured he retained his title
- They were forced to step in as the main event due to Conor McGregor’s injury
Alex Pereira delivered a breathtaking head-kick KO to defeat Jiri Prochazka and retain his light heavyweight title in explosive style at UFC 303.
Pereira knocked his opponent to the canvas with a left headbutt just seconds into the second round, before pounced on him and peppered him with several more punches.
The referee then stepped in to stop the fight in Las Vegas.
Pereira and Prochazka stepped in to main event at T-Mobile Arena after Conor McGregor was forced to postpone his long-awaited UFC return, with a broken toe pushing back his showdown against Michael Chandler until September 17.
But despite only having two weeks notice, the two fighters put in a great performance, striking in the opening round in front of a captivated crowd.
Pereira took satisfaction in landing low kicks, while Prochazka threatened with a left hook – before the latter fell to the ground at the end of the round.
The victor, smelling blood, wasted little time in defending his belt and unleashed a violent kick to the head that sent Prochazka to the ground again.
“I didn’t know how I was going to win, but I knew I was going to leave this Octagon happy,” Pereira said later through an interpreter.
Now aiming for a championship in a third weight class, he added: “I think that’s in my future. I say it a lot. I’m here, I’m available and I think that’s my future.”
More to follow.