NEW YORK – Regardless of what observers say about the stoppage in the UFC 295 main event, Alex Pereira will go down in the record books as a two-weight promotional champion.
Pereira (9-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) finished Jiri Prochazka (29-4-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) with punches and elbows at 4:08 of Round 2. The vacant light heavyweight title bout was the main event at Madison Square Garden.
The stoppage was unusual, with many viewers deeming it early. The sequence consisted of a two-punch combination by Pereira that stunned Prochazka, who responded with a takedown attempt.
As Prochazka grabbed for a leg, Pereira landed down elbows. The blows caused Prochazka to roll backward, almost as if it was a guard-pull. Before Pereira landed more strikes, referee Marc Goddard called off the fight.
After the bout, Prochazka said during his in-cage interview with Joe Rogan that he agreed with Goddard’s stoppage.
“In the end, I think it was right,” Prochazka said. “I was out.”
Prior to its conclusion, the bout was closely contested with both men finding success in their striking. Pereira utilized his leg kicks early, before Prochazka secured a takedown and ground-and-pound.
In Round 2, Prochazka landed a big flurry first, but it was Pereira who got the final one – the one that mattered most.
Glover Teixeira's reaction to Alex Pereira's title win 👏🥹 #UFC295 pic.twitter.com/U59ZCSVTq7
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) November 12, 2023
A Glory Kickboxing Hall of Famer, Pereira is on his way to UFC enshrinement, as well. In just 11 MMA bouts, Pereira has captured two UFC titles at light heavyweight and middleweight. On the flip side, Prochazka loses for the first time in the UFC.
Up-to-the-minute UFC 295 results include:
- Alex Pereira def. Jiri Prochazka via knockout (elbows) – Round 2, 4:08 – to win vacant light heavyweight title
- Tom Aspinall def. Sergei Pavlovich via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:09 – to win interim heavyweight title
- Jessica Andrade def. Mackenzie Dern via TKO (punches) – Round 2,
- Benoit Saint-Denis def. Matt Frevola via knockout (head kick) – Round 1, 1:31
- Diego Lopes def. Pat Sabatini knockout (punches) – Round 1, 1:30
- Steve Erceg def. Alessandro Costa via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Loopy Godinez def. Tabatha Ricci via split decision (27-30, 29-28, 29-28)
- Mateusz Rebecki def. Roosevelt Roberts via verbal submission (armbar) – Round 1, 3:08
- Viacheslav Borshchev vs. Nazim Sadykhov declared majority draw (29-28, 28-28, 28-28)
- Jared Gordon def. Mark Madsen via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 4:42
- John Castaneda def. Kyung Ho Kang via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
- Joshua Van def. Kevin Borjas via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
- Jamall Emmers def. Dennis Buzukja via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 0:49
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 295.
