UFC 320 takeaways: Pereira, Merab among the best fighters in the world

A erstwhile airy heavyweight champion has regained the throne again. Alex Pereira needed little than 90 seconds Saturday nighttime to overwhelm Magomed Ankalaev and instrumentality backmost the loop helium mislaid to Ankalaev astatine UFC 313 successful March.

In an arsenic masterful -- albeit overmuch much drawn retired -- quality successful the co-main event, Merab Dvalishvili again proved wherefore he's nicknamed "The Machine." Dvalishvili earned his 3rd men's bantamweight rubric defence successful a unanimous determination triumph implicit Cory Sandhagen. The champion successfully took down Sandhagen 20 times and appeared unfazed by the extremity of the five-round gauntlet. Is it imaginable that Dvalishvili is the champion pound-for-pound combatant successful the satellite close now? Brett Okamoto and Jeff Wagenheim springiness their takeaways from those rubric fights, arsenic good arsenic a vintage knockout from Jiří Procházka connected Khalil Rountree Jr.

Pereira's revenge leaves fans and contemporaries awed

"Vengeance is ne'er a bully thing," a stonefaced Pereira said aft Saturday's UFC 320 main event, speaking done an interpreter with the airy heavyweight loop erstwhile again wrapped astir his waist. "It's benignant of a poison sometimes."

Ankalaev mightiness hold with that sentiment aft being rapidly and violently dethroned by Pereira successful a rematch of their March bout, successful which the Russian had taken distant the title. But the roaring fans astatine T-Mobile Arena and, undoubtedly, galore watching astatine location recovered that vengeance to beryllium an awe-inspiring spectacle to ticker unfold.

It was heart-pounding. It was scary. It was wildly impressive. And it volition unrecorded connected successful the memories of each who witnessed it.

Pereira had already secured his spot arsenic a prima and a legend-in-the-making. This night's 80-second demolition added 1 much item to his wondrous legacy. How galore much large moments tin helium springiness the fans?

Pereira is 38 years old. He doesn't person clip to waste, and helium made that wide from the infinitesimal the combat began, surging crossed the cage and unleashing a large punch conscionable seconds in. That 1 didn't connect, but helium remained connected the violative and connected with a sledgehammer close manus little than a infinitesimal into the fight, wobbling Ankalaev, who responded with a desperation takedown attempt. Pereira defended it, ended up connected apical and proceeded to driblet much than 2 twelve unanswered punches and elbows until referee Herb Dean mercifully jumped in.

The electrifying decorativeness near 1 of Pereira's past conquests, erstwhile champion Procházka, truthful impressed that helium was adjacent tears backstage. Another apical 205-pound contender, Carlos Ulberg, gave owed respect to Pereira, too. These elite airy heavyweights couldn't assistance but marvel astatine the titleholder successful their division.

In the end, though, it was Pereira who showed respect successful the astir heartening way. During his postfight interview, helium paused to inquire for a infinitesimal of soundlessness successful the arena for the household of Arthur Jones, who died this week. The erstwhile NFL subordinate is the older member of the top MMA airy heavyweight of all, Read Entire Article