LFA 95 highlights: Alex Pereira puts middleweight division on notice with crushing knockout

LFA 95 saw the much-anticipated promotional debut of two-division Glory kickboxing champion Alex Pereira, and the hard-hitting Brazilian didn’t disappoint as he produced one of the most devastating one-punch knockouts of the year.

Pereira returned to MMA after a four-and-a-half-year hiatus to face American Thomas Powell on Friday night, and wasted no time as he delivered a statement to the rest of the middleweight division, in LFA and beyond, with a huge knockout win.

Pereira, who holds two wins, including a huge knockout, over current UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya from their respective kickboxing days, showed a glimpse of his world-class striking in four-ounce gloves as he starched Powell in the first round of the night’s headliner in Park City, Kansas.

Pereira’s eye-catching victory was the highlight of a fight card packed with finishes. Flyweight Victor Altamirano and undefeated heavyweight prospect Jordan Heiderman both claimed second-round submission wins via triangle choke and rear-naked choke, respectively, while Bruno Souza earned a second-round TKO finish of Guilherme Santos in their all-Brazilian battle at featherweight.

But it’s Pereira’s highlight-reel finish that will be the talk of the MMA world, as the Brazilian, hailed by UFC Hall of Famer Pat Miletich as the best striker in MMA, served notice to the 185-pound division.

Recap the best of the main card action from LFA 95 via the video above.

LFA 95 official results include:

• Alex Pereira def. Thomas Powell via knockout (punch) – Round 1, 4:04
• Myron Dennis def. Dylan Potter via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Victor Altamirano def. Lloyd McKinney via submission (triangle choke) – Round 2, 1:57
• Bruno Souza def. Guilherme Santos via TKO (punches and elbows) – Round 2, 2:16
• Jordan Heiderman def. Mauricio Blanco via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 1:43