Alex Pereira Elbows Way into History Books, Upends Jiri Prochazka in UFC 295 Headliner

Alex Pereira made certain history will remember him.

The surgical Brazilian kickboxer struck gold in a second Ultimate Fighting Championship weight class when he vanquished Jiri Prochazka with a volley of second-round elbows and walked away with the vacant light heavyweight title in the UFC 295 headliner on Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York. Prochazka (29-4-1, 3-1 UFC) checked out 4:08 into Round 2.

Now the first man to have won UFC championships at 185 and 205 pounds, Pereira weaved in and out of danger. Prochazka secured a takedown and enjoyed some significant control time in the second half of the first round, having chosen to move the action to the floor after the Brazilian tore into his lead leg with a series of punishing kicks. Pereira (9-2, 6-1 UFC) stayed calm under duress, eventually returned to an upright position and extended the fight. Prochazka appeared to have him reeling with a few overhand rights in Round 2, but his aggressive tendencies caught up to him. Pereira caught him with a right hand and a counter left hook as he moved forward, forcing the Jetsaam Gym rep to dive on a desperation double-leg. He answered with a few short punches to the side of the Czech Republic native’s head, then transitioned to digging elbows that caused real damage. Prochazka collapsed backward in a dazed state while pinned beneath the Brazilian, at which point referee Marc Goddard elected to call for the stoppage.

The loss was Prochazka’s first since Dec. 31, 2015 and halted his 13-fight winning streak.

Aspinall Folds Pavlovich, Claims Interim Championship

Team Kaobon star Tom Aspinall captured the interim heavyweight championship and did so in spectacular fashion, as he turned away Sergei Pavlovich with punches in the first round of their co-main event. Aspinall (14-3, 7-1 UFC) slammed the door shut 69 seconds into Round 1.

Related » UFC 295 Round-by-Round Scoring

Pavlovich (18-2, 6-2 UFC) zapped the Englishman with a left hook during one of their first exchanges but never managed to follow up. Aspinall took away his equilibrium with a clubbing right hand to the side of the head, floored him with another and pursued him to the canvas. More punches and hammerfists followed on the defenseless Pavlovich, leaving referee Dan Miragliotta no choice but to intervene.

It was the 30-year-old Aspinall’s 10th victory in 11 appearances.

Andrade Wrecks One-Dimensional Dern

Parana Vale Tudo product Jessica Andrade dismissed a defensively challenged Mackenzie Dern with punches in the second round of their women’s strawweight showcase. Dern (13-4, 8-4 UFC), who had never before been finished, succumbed to blows 3:15 into Round 2.

Andrade (25-12, 16-10 UFC) patiently exposed the considerable holes in the 2015 Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Fighting World Championship gold medalist’s game. She walked through considerable fire on the feet, decked Dern with a right hook near the end of the first round and set the stage for what was to come. Andrade denied a takedown attempt in the middle stanza, forced prolonged standup exchanges and knocked down the longtime Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt three times in a matter of moments. The third and final knockdown, which resulted from a left hook-straight right combination, drew the curtain and sent Dern back to the drawing board yet again.

The win put an and to a career-worst three-fight losing streak for Andrade.

St. Denis Head Kick Buries Frevola

Benoit St. Denis cut down Serra-Longo Fight Team’s Matt Frevola with a head kick and follow-up punches in the first round of their lightweight feature. Frevola (11-4-1, 5-4-1 UFC) bowed out 91 seconds into Round 1, suffering his first setback in more than two years.

Related » UFC 295 Prelims: Flyweight Erceg Improves to 11-1

The 27-year-old St. Denis (13-1, 5-1 UFC) tested the water with kicks to the body and legs before he surrendered top position on a failed guillotine choke. After a sequence of sweeps and scrambles, Frevola completed a takedown but could not corral the Frenchman on the canvas. St. Denis moved back to his feet and floored the American with a head kick while he was trying to circle away from their exchange. He then pounced on the fallen Frevola and let fly with a few punches to necessitate the stoppage.

St. Denis has rattled off five consecutive victories, all of them finishes.

Surging Lopes Fells Sabatini

Lobo Gym standout Diego Lopes put away former Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder Pat Sabatini with punches in the first round of their featherweight appetizer. Lopes (19-4, 6-1 UFC) brought it to an emphatic close 1:30 into Round 1.

Sabatini (18-5, 5-2 UFC) clipped the Francisco Grasso protégé with a right hook inside the first minute but failed to gain any more ground. Lopes sprawled out of an attempted takedown, dumped his counterpart to the canvas and caught him with a chopping right hand in the subsequent scramble. Sabatini careened backward into the cage and collapsed. Lopes then swarmed with follow-up punches until referee Keith Peterson had seen enough.

The 28-year-old Lopes has won four of his past five bouts.

Continue Reading » UFC 295 Prelims: Godinez Downs Ricci in Strawweight Showdown