Alex Pereira executed a head-kick knockout against Jiri Prochazka at UFC 303 after noticing an opening during Prochazka's warm-up. Pereira observed that Prochazka was preparing to counter calf kicks, leaving his head exposed. This observation led Pereira to adjust his strategy and aim for a high kick. Pereira's coach, Plinio Cruz, revealed that Pereira decided on this approach just 15 minutes before the fight after watching the warm-up footage. Despite Cruz advising against taking the fight on two weeks notice, Pereira accepted the challenge without hesitation. Cruz also mentioned that Pereira had been barely kicking since his first fight with Prochazka due to broken toes, with limited kicking practice before UFC 300.
Mystic Poatan🗿 Alex Pereira's coach, Plinio Cruz, describes Pereira in the locker room just minutes before making the walk. After seeing a social media post of Jiri warming up in the opposing locker room, Pereira told him, "I'm going to kick this guy in the head tonight.”… https://t.co/VNfgpaOeS5
"I'm going to kick this guy in the head tonight, just watch." Coach Plinio Cruz says Alex Pereira called his finish from the locker room before UFC 303 🤯 ▶️ https://t.co/VOKvHFYext #TheMMAHour https://t.co/DfEF9qmlTM
Plinio Cruz on Alex Pereira in the locker room, watching a video of Jiri before the fight, and being convinced he was going to head kick him in the fight. #TheMMAHour https://t.co/yoX7eS1eQm
🚨| Plinio Cruz has revealed what Alex Pereira told him after watching Jiri Prochazka’s locker room warmup footage 15 minutes before making the walk for the #UFC303 main event. “I’m gonna kick this guy in the head tonight, just watch.” 😱 [per The MMA Hour] https://t.co/t1zRuzVTCo
Alex Pereira's coach, Plinio Cruz, says that after watching the video of Jiri Prochazka warming up in the locker room, he turned to him and said: "I'm gonna kick this guy in the head tonight." 🤯 🎥 @arielhelwani #TheMMAHour https://t.co/rdhGCsFDPY
🚨| Alex Pereira’s head coach Plinio Cruz told Pereira that the plan for fight week was to stay at the fighter hotel, pretend it’s an undercard fight, get the win, and go back home. He didn’t want Pereira to feel the responsibility of carrying the entire #UFC303 event. He says… https://t.co/YnYHquF5x7
🚨| Alex Pereira’s coach, Plinio Cruz says he told Pereira to not take the fight but Pereira had no hesitations about fighting Jiri Prochazka at #UFC303 on two weeks notice and accepted instantly. [per The MMA Hour] https://t.co/o63RLWq2xl
🚨| Alex Pereira’s coach, Plinio Cruz tells @arielhelwani that the only times Alex Pereira has kicked since the first Jiri Prochazka fight last November are UFC 300 against Jamahal Hill and the last week of training before #UFC303. [per The MMA Hour] https://t.co/XBmv039X4A
Coach Plinio Cruz says Alex Pereira was barely kicking since the first Jiri Prochazka fight due to his broken toes. ▶️ https://t.co/VOKvHFYext #TheMMAHour https://t.co/Pe0c8PPlly
Alex Pereira Saw Opening for Head Kick While Watching Video of Prochazka's Warmup https://t.co/rj7gTq7snt
Pereira decided to go for the head kick after seeing a video of Prochazka right before their fight 🤯 #UFC303 https://t.co/OtT9nPtJ6K
Alex Pereira saw the opening for his high kick by watching video of Jiri Prochazka warming up in the locker room 😳 #UFC303 “He was doing the wrong timing... He was keeping his hands down and leaving the head exposed." https://t.co/hpfuQBIXco
Alex Pereira saw opening for head-kick KO after watching Jiri Prochazka warm up in #UFC303 locker room https://t.co/o4xRrkep3n
🔥🚨| Alex Pereira says he saw a video of Jiri Prochazka’s warm up for #UFC303 and noticed he was preparing to counter his calf kicks, so he made a mental note to explore the high kick on Prochazka. 🧠🔥 “I was in the locker room, talking to Plinio(Cruz), and he showed me the… https://t.co/dLN6lS7C4T