UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Alex Pereira has been slammed after knocking out a sparring partner in the gym.
Pereira is considered one of the leading knockout artists in the division. Alex has secured five stoppages out of his last six fights, including a KO in his last fight against Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 to regain his light heavyweight title. And yet, when it comes to sparring there is a perception that fighters do not go all out in order to work on a particular skill, as well as to protect the safety of those in sparring.
Sean Strickland has previously been criticized for going too hard on sparring partners, namely non-MMA fighters, when he took on influencer Sneako. Now, Pereira is under fire. The following clip shows him connecting a powerful shot to the body, as his opponent lowers his guard. As he did so, Pereira then landed a punch to the chin to stop him.