Alex Pereira’s remarkable MMA run continued on Saturday, as the Brazilian knocked out Jiri Prochazka for the second time in seven months, retaining the UFC light-heavyweight title.
Pereira, a kickboxing great, became a two-weight UFC champion within two years of joining the promotion, stopping Prochazka in November to win the vacant 205lb belt – having previously held the 185lb strap.
And on Saturday (29 June), in the main event of UFC 303, Pereira knocked out Prochazka in the second round again, recording a second defence of the light-heavyweight title.
In the final second of round one, Pereira dropped Prochazka with a signature left hook. Then, in the opening moments of round two, Pereira dropped the Czech with a head kick. Pereira then finished the former champion on the canvas with ground and pound.
The result marked “Poatan”’s second successful title defence, after he knocked out another former champion in Jamahal Hill in April.
Pereira, 36, and Prochazka, 31, stepped up after the original main event, Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler, collapsed this month.
McGregor, who was due to return after three years away, suffered a broken toe two weeks before UFC 303, ruling him out of his planned bout with Chandler in Las Vegas.
And UFC 303 underwent several other changes, including on the night itself. Brian Ortega withdrew from his co-main event with Diego Lopes due to illness, leading Dan Ige to travel to the T-Mobile Arena, weigh in, and face Lopes on four hours’ notice.
Lopes beat Ige via decision as the featherweights met in a 165lb catchweight contest.
Elsewhere on the card, controversial Irish star Ian Machado Garry outpointed London’s Michael “Venom” Page in a welterweight fight.
UFC 303 results in full
Main card
Alex Pereira def. Jiri Prochazka via second-round KO (head kick, 0:13)
Diego Lopes def. Dan Ige via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Roman Dolidze def. Anthony Smith via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
Macy Chiasson def. Mayra Bueno Silva via second-round TKO (doctor stoppage, 1:58)
Ian Machado Garry def. Michael “Venom” Page via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Prelims
Joe Pyfer def. Marc-Andre Barriault via first-round KO (punches, 1:25)
Andre Fili def. Cub Swanson via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)
Jean Silva def. Charles Jourdain via second-round KO (uppercut, 1:22)
Payton Talbott def. Yanis Ghemmouri via first-round KO (punches, 0:19)
Early prelims
Gillian Robertson def. Michelle Waterson-Gomez via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
Martin Buday def. Andrei Arlovski via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
Rei Tsuruya def. Carlos Hernandez via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Vinicius Oliveira def. Ricky Simon via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)