In Teddy Atlas‘ eyes, UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira has a special set of skills only seen in some of the world’s greatest strikers.
Returning to the Octagon on just 16 days’ notice, ‘Poatan’ added another highlight-reel knockout to his resume, securing a stunning second-round head-kick KO against ex-titleholder Jiri Prochazka in the UFC 303 headliner.
It was perhaps Pereira’s most impressive performance yet, earning critical acclaim from pundits, including Atlas who marveled at Pereira’s ability to generate knockout power with little space to work.
“I haven’t seen a short punch like that since Joe Louis film, the late, great Joe Louis,” Atlas said of Pereira’s late first-round knockdown of Prochazka. “Joe Louis was famous for throwing six-inch punches. I just saw a three-inch left hook. Incredible” (h/t MMA Fighting).
Atlas also marveled at Pereira’s ability to seemingly know exactly what his opponent was going to do and when enabling him to execute his offense flawlessly.
“He’s got radar,” Atlas said. “He’s got x-ray vision. He sees things other people don’t see. Terence Crawford in boxing is that kind of guy. When you see things and you’re that calm, and you’re in that calm kind of environment, all you can be in, you see things and react just a little bit [faster].
“They call it timing, but he has special timing because he’s that calm and he’s got those kinds of eyes.”
Teddy Atlas fascinated by the viral staredown between Alex Pereira and Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303
Before the fight even began, everyone, including Atlas, was captivated by the intense staredown between Pereira and Prochazka. For minutes, ‘Poatan’ locked eyes with his opponent, staring into the soul of ‘BJP’ and setting the stage for what would be another epic night for the ‘Brazilian Boogeyman.’
Again, Atlas compared Pereira’s quiet intensity and ability to intimidate his fellow man with a simple stare to some of the biggest names in boxing history.
“Don’t think that doesn’t have an effect,” Atlas explained. “When you get these kinds of results behind it. When a guy can go into your soul, it’s like he’s looking right through. There was Sonny Liston, there was George Foreman, there was somebody named Mike Tyson — it worked for them.
“It helps deteriorate the guy. That’s what you’re trying to do. You’re trying to break a guy down. So when you get in there, what are you doing? You’re trying to physically break a guy down. But before it starts, you’re mentally trying to break them down. That’s where he has the head start on everybody.”
