Tonight’s UFC 276 event featured a key middleweight contest between perennial division contenders Sean Strickland and Alex Pereira.
Strickland (25-4 MMA) had last competed at February’s UFC Vegas 47 event, where he picked up his sixth consecutive win by defeating Jack Hermansson by way of split decision.
Meanwhile, Alex Pereira (5-1 MMA), a former GLORY kickboxing champion, made his highly anticipated Octagon debut last November at UFC 268, where he scored a sensational knockout victory over Andreas Michailidis (see that here). ‘Po Atan’ followed that up with a unanimous decision win over Bruno Silva back in March of this year.
Tonight’s ‘Strickland vs. Pereira’ bout did not make it out of the first round. Sean Strickland had said pre-fight that he planned to stand and bang with ‘Po Atan’ and that is exactly what transpired. Unfortunately for the American, the decision to stand and trade leather with the former Glory champion proved costly as he wound up getting knocked out midway through the opening frame. Alex Pereira landed a slick combination with the second punch sending Strickland crashing to the canvas. The referee immediately stepped in to call off the contst.
Official UFC 276 Result: Alex Pereira def. Sean Strickland via KO at 2:36 of Round 1
Check out how the pros reacted to ‘Strickland vs. Pereira’ below:
This @AlexPoatan is a Brasilian Warrior . I expect a HL KO #ufc276
— Eric Albarracin (@CPTdasAmericas) July 3, 2022
This is gonna be a good one
— JIMI MANUWA (@POSTERBOYJM) July 3, 2022
Post-fight reactions to Alex Pereira defeating Sean Strickland at UFC 276:
This guy must have sledgehammers for fists! That was INSANE!! #UFC276
— Aljamain Sterling (@funkmasterMMA) July 3, 2022
https://twitter.com/chitoveraUFC/status/1543435278148284417
Pereira!! #UFC276
— RobFont (@RobSFont) July 3, 2022
https://twitter.com/JourdainAir/status/1543433751631470595
Geez, mans got power#UFC276
— Uroš Medić (@urketaraketa) July 3, 2022
Who would you like to see Alex Pereira fight next following his KO victory over Sean Strickland this evening in Las Vegas? Share your thoughts in the comment section PENN Nation!