Every exceptional fighter has a characteristic weapon, but no fighter is defined by just one technique. The left hook is Alex Pereira’s weapon of choice.
Pereira earned a reputation as a vicious puncher during his time as a kickboxer, and a large number of his most potent blows were left hooks. Regretfully, despite being well-deserved, Pereira’s reputation has far too frequently concealed his actual level of talent. His brutal highlight reel may give you the impression that he is a more subtle, inventive, and adaptable fighter, but that is not the case.
Pereira is equally at ease fencing in open areas and is capable of fighting both forward and backward. He has the ability to counter as well as swarm. Even at 36 years old, he is continually refining an already outstanding game, of which his left hook remains the ideal embodiment, displaying both his adaptability and his crushing power.
As it happens, Alex Pereira’s left hook is just as adaptable as the man.
Alex Pereira s left hook: Off the Jab
Let’s begin with what might be Pereira’s most famous left hook in his whole MMA career.the shot that guaranteed Pereira’s path to the UFC belt and sent Sean Strickland to sleep.
The setup of a knockout punch determines how effective it is. Two things in this instance led to the fight-ender: a body blow and circular footwork.
Body jabs are a really underapplied skill. It is a common misconception that a jab lacks the force needed to deliver a devastating body strike; however, this is untrue. Since the whole posture is based on jabs—a fighter turns side-on to conceal his center-line behind his lead arm—jabs generally have a great deal of stopping force. He continuously modifies his foot placement to maintain that barrier between himself and his opponent, which puts his jab in danger of threatening the opponent’s own center-line.
Hence, the lead arm doubles as a shield and a spear. Furthermore, it is nearly impossible to walk through even a lightly thrown jab since the fighter’s entire body is aligned behind it. Its structure is sound. When central mass is the aim, all the better. At the beginning of this footage, Strickland is shown to be affected as he walks into Pereira’s jab as if it were the end of a steel rail. Aw.
This shot has an impact that lasts longer than it does at contact. Prior to unleashing the final left hook that brings the bout to a close, Pereira barely shifts into a sitting stance. It acts on him like a spring, giving his legs a burst of energy. It’s a wicked falsehood in Strickland’s eyes. He notices a tell in Pereira’s shift in tone, a hint of the body blow he took seconds earlier. He responds appropriately, using his right hand to block the blow. The only blow that he parries isn’t really there, and the act of defense itself leaves his chin exposed for Pereira’s hallmark stroke.
Pereira’s technique is the last missing component. Watch how he takes a step back and then turns to the left. Twice, thrice, treble. Every step backward pulls Strickland in, and every turn makes an angle that he has to shift laterally. However, there is a difference in these two answers. The gap between the two narrows for a brief second each time Pereira cuts an angle, during which Pereira is facing Strickland and Strickland is not facing him. Stated differently, Strickland is designed to align with Pereira’s effective range.
Every defense in that situation is a gamble, and all it takes is one miscalculation to lose.
Alex Pereira s left hook: On the Counter
In combination with the jab, the left hook can be an extremely effective lead, but it can also be a great counterpunch. Furthermore, Alex Pereira is not a one-trick pony. Here’s one especially good example from Pereira’s most recent bout, which took place against Jan Blachowicz, the former light heavyweight champion. In its finest form, a counterleft hook
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