Is this the UFC’s best showman? Michel Pereira knocks opponent down, BACKFLIPS onto his head and then submits him in the space of just 40 ridiculous seconds
- Michel Pereira scored a thrilling first-round submission against Ihor Potieria
- Pereira knocked Potieria down before performing a backflip
- Potieria was then picked up and finished with a brutal standing guillotine
Michel Pereira earned a blistering first-round submission against Ihor Potieria at UFC 301 after hitting a backflip on his opponent in a breathtaking finale.
Within just 40 seconds, Pereira managed to slam his opponent to the canvas before launching himself into the air and connecting with a back kick.
The wild move may have been technically illegal, involving kicks to the head as an opponent is grounded, but regardless the referees awarded the showman the explosive victory in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Pereira rushed out of the blocks and dropped Potieria in the head with a left-right combination. As his opponent lay helpless on the ground, he then turned away from him.
But in a breathtaking turn of events, he then acrobatically threw himself backwards and rammed his shin into Potieria’s face, connecting with a pinch point.
Michel Pereira earned a blistering first-round submission against Ihor Potieria at UFC 301
Pereira defeated his opponent before performing a backflip and subduing him within 40 seconds
Potieria was sent to the canvas before tapping out after a standing guillotine
When he wasn’t done there, Pereira dragged Potieria to his feet and finished him with a standing guillotine, with the defeated fighter tapping out 54 seconds into the first round.
After being freed from the chokehold, Potieria sank to the mat.
As Pereira celebrated a momentous victory, fight officials were spotted chatting inside the Octagon, perhaps discussing the legality of the back kick.
But shortly afterwards it was confirmed that the move had indeed been legal. Replays showed the head contact was a glancing blow, with the chest taking the full brunt.
“I still think he needs to learn his lesson by doing backflips and trying to land illegal knees,” UFC announcer Paul Felder said during the pay-per-view broadcast.
“But from that one angle, a lot of it landed on the chest — thank God for him — and I think that kept him from potentially getting DQ here.”