UFC 300 featured highlight-reel knockouts that will live long in the memory of MMA fans, and one Hall of Famer couldn’t believe what he was witnessing.
As the dust settles on arguably the greatest MMA card ever put together, fans and pundits alike are reacting to one of the most devastating knockouts in recent memory.
Alex Pereira retains his light heavyweight title at UFC 300
UFC light heavyweight champion Alex ‘Poatan’ Pereira retained his world title in dramatic fashion as he knocked out former king Jamahal Hill in the very first round, last night at UFC 300.
Hill looked sharp in the opening exchanges as the pair battled it out with vicious low kicks, but there was almost a halt in the action when ‘Sweet Dreams’ landed a low blow on Pereira.
Yet the Brazilian kickboxer refused to take the time-out, telling the referee that he was okay to continue and proving so just a few seconds later as he landed shovel-uppercut that dropped Hill, followed up by ground-and-pound to earn his eighth KO of his professional MMA career.
Daniel Cormier hails ‘amazing’ Poatan after first-round finish
Whilst a knockout victory for Pereira was certainly not unexpected given his devastating power, social media is reveling in the fact that Poatan waved away the referee for a foul shot only a few seconds before landing the KO blow.
Speaking on the latest episode of SportsCenter immediately after the UFC 300 broadcast concluded, via the ESPN YouTube channel, Daniel Cormier reacted to the finishing sequence, saying he couldn’t believe what he was witnessing.
“It was crazy – Alex Pereira [says to] the referee [that] he gets kicked low, he puts his hand up and tells the ref ‘No stop, I’m good’ and 20 seconds later the fight is over. I’ve never seen anything like it!”
The former double champion also the legacy that Alex Pereira has built in the UFC, despite last night’s main event being just his eighth bout in the promotion: “I’ve never seen a fighter come into the UFC and do what he’s done in such a short period of time.”
“This guy has not even been fighting for three years in the octagon, he has been the middleweight, he’s been the light heavyweight champion, defended the light heavyweight championship and headlined UFC 300 – it is amazing to watch this man do what he’s doing inside the octagon.”
Michael Bisping reacts to the UFC 300 main event victory for Pereira
Fellow Hall of Famer Michael Bisping was part of the ESPN post-fight breakdown for UFC 300 and prior to the PPV, had gone ‘out on a limb’ to pick Jamahal Hill to win by knockout.
“Alex Pereira, I will never underestimate this man ever again,” said the former UFC middleweight champion, before adding “That was one of the cleanest shots” that we’ve seen in the light heavyweight division:
“Alright, it didn’t knock him out cold but that shovel uppercut, [but it landed with] so with much power. We know that the power is on display, but against a light heavyweight the size of Jamahal Hill, a man that can take shots, a man that is extremely dangerous himself, it’s super impressive.”
Bisping also noted that Pereira’s celebration was “the coolest ever” with Poatan gesturing to the crowd as if to say ‘I did this, look there it is guys’.