38-year-old scores stunning knockout in just 1:20 into the first round of the main event at UFC 320
\n Nevada
\nAlex Pereira reclaimed the UFC light heavyweight title by defeating Magomed Ankalaev in a stunning knockout just 1:20 into the first round of the main event at UFC 320 on Saturday.
\nPereira, 38, was seeking revenge for a decisive unanimous decision loss to Ankalaev at UFC 313 in March, claiming he was only at 40 percent for that match. With a cleaner bill of health and a clear mind for vengeance, Pereira (13-3-0) stayed on the attack and didn\u2019t allow Ankalaev (21-2-1) to touch him.
\nPereira\u2019s victory revives the light heavyweight title picture, taking the belt from a fighter in Ankalaev who did little to inspire hope for the future of the division. With Jiri Prochazka also winning his bout by stunning knockout, it awakened the potential for a third bout against Pereira for the belt.
\nMerab Dvalishvili (21-4-0) successfully defended his bantamweight title with a unanimous decision win over Cory Sandhagen (18-6-0) in the co-main event (49-45, 49-45, 49-46), dominating the last four rounds of the fight after taking complete control in the second. Dvalishvili nearly finished Sandhagen with a D\u2019arce choke late in the fourth, but Sandhagen avoided tapping and brought the fight to the scorecards.
\nSandhagen managed to keep the fight on foot for most of the first round, baiting Dvalishvili into favourable strike exchanges that allowed him to gain an early advantage. That would be the last window Sandhagen would have, as Dvalishvili seemingly flipped a switch in the second round and nearly finished the American with his fists in a 10-8 display that turned the fight.
\nThe most anticipated action of the main card began with a light heavyweight war between Prochazka (32-5-1) and Khalil Rountree Jr. (15-7-0). With a loss likely in the balance late in the third, Prochazka landed a devastating combination that knocked Rountree out cold with two minutes left on the clock.
\nRountree gained an early advantage by landing multiple series of high-calibre combinations in the first round that left Prochazka clearly stumbling into the second. The exchanges also tired Rountree, allowing Prochazka a chance to find a window with his third-round explosion.
\nYoussef Zoulal (18-5-1) made quick work of Josh Emmett (19-6) in the main card\u2019s second fight, forcing the 40-year-old to verbally tap via arm bar 1:38 into the bout in a moment that left the T-Mobile Arena crowd stumped.
\nIt wasn\u2019t immediately apparent why the featherweight fighters were being separated until the replay was shown. The realisation of what occurred was met with dismay from a pro-Emmett crowd that moments earlier was engaging in \u201cUSA\u201d chants. The finish marked Zalal\u2019s fifth straight victory.
\nJoe Pyfer (15-3-0) opened the main card with a second-round submission victory over Abus Magomedov (28-7-1), securing a successful rear-naked choke at 1:44 in the second round. Magomedov dominated the first, but Pyfer dropped Magomedov with a combo to begin the second and nearly made him tap with an arm triangle before locking in the finisher.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
38-year-old scores stunning knockout in just 1:20 into the first round of the main event at UFC 320 Nevada Alex Pereira reclaimed the UFC light heavyweight title by defeating Magomed Ankalaev in a stunning knockout just 1:20 into the first round of the main event at UFC 320 on Saturday. Pereira, 38, was seeking revenge […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-506896","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n