Highlights! Alex Pereira Killer Scores Nasty KO … In Front Of Poatan!

Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

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All eyes were on Artem Vakhitov ahead of his Contenders Series main event slot ver…


Dana White’s Contender Series: Masraf v Vakhitov
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC

Bringing you the weird and wild from the world of MMA each and every weeknight!

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

All eyes were on Artem Vakhitov ahead of his Contenders Series main event slot versus Islem Masraf, which wrapped up earlier on Tuesday (Oct. 8, 2024) from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Why was everyone so interested in a 2-1 Light Heavyweight?

Being a Glory champion certainly separates him from the pack at bit, but the real answer is that he’s the last man to defeat Alex Pereira in kickboxing! After the whole Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira saga in the Octagon, we know just how substantial a rivalry from the ring to the cage can be. These two fought twice in 2021, and their connection was enough that Pereira — who just fought four bloody rounds in Utah three days ago — flew in to attend his kickboxing rival’s fight.

Vakhitov hit a bit of trouble early against Masraf, finding himself controlled in close quarters. Masraf didn’t actually manage to take down the striker, but Vakhitov was getting pinned to the fence for a fair portion of the first. Fortunately, he made it count when he did create separation. Masraf was a touch winded from the grappling, leaving him very vulnerable to a series of right hands.

Check out the knockout clip below:

With the knockout, Vakhitov improves to 3-1 as a professional. Despite the win and history with “Poatan,” it was still up in the air whether Vakhitov would score the contract, because he has very little cage time overall and showed some wrestling inexperience in the bout. UFC CEO Dana White turned to Pereira for advice, and the Brazilian acknowledged his former foe as skilled and experienced enough for UFC competition.

It will be very exciting to see Vakhitov’s career develop. He’s still a long way from earning an MMA rubber match versus the champion, but Adesanya and “Poatan” both demonstrated that elite kickboxers are capable of fast rises up the ladder. If nothing else, any injection of talent at 205-pounds is sorely needed!

Insomnia

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Sleep well Maniacs! More martial arts madness is always on the way.