Alice Pereira Delivers Blood-Soaked TKO to Announce Herself at UFC Vegas 122
Twenty-year-old Alice Pereira battered Darya Zhelezniakova into a bloody first-round TKO at UFC Vegas 122.
Alice Pereira is 20 years old and already giving opponents nightmares.
The Brazilian bantamweight prospect turned in another vicious performance at UFC Vegas 122 on Saturday night, battering veteran Darya Zhelezniakova into a first-round TKO at the META APEX in Las Vegas. The fight was stopped at the five-minute mark after Zhelezniakova, her face covered in blood from a deep cut across her forehead, told officials she could not continue before the second round began.
Pereira came out aggressive, took the fight to the ground, and went to work from top position. She landed heavy ground-and-pound and elbows late in the round, opening the gash that left Zhelezniakova looking like she had walked through a horror movie set, per LowKick MMA.
The win improves Pereira to 8-1 overall and 2-1 in the UFC. Her only career loss was a split decision to Montse Rendon at Noche UFC in 2025 during her promotional debut. Since then, she has knocked out Hailey Cowan and now stopped Zhelezniakova in consecutive outings.
Zhelezniakova, the Russian veteran known as Iron Lady, drops to 10-4 overall and 2-3 in the UFC. She has now lost two straight after falling to Melissa Croden in her previous fight.
The women s bantamweight division has a new name to watch. At 20, Pereira has the aggression, finishing instinct, and ground game to climb the rankings fast.
This girl is going to be a problem for the entire division. Alice Pereira is 20 years old, which means she cannot legally buy a beer in this country, and she is already out here making veterans quit on the stool between rounds. That is terrifying.
Two straight finishes since her debut loss tells you everything. She took the Rendon setback, learned from it, and came back meaner. The ground-and-pound she unleashed on Zhelezniakova was relentless. When the Russian decided she had seen enough before round two, nobody blamed her.
The women s bantamweight division is thin and it needs killers. Pereira is exactly that. Give her a step up in competition next time. She has earned it. If she keeps finishing fights like this, a ranking next to her name is not far away. I would not want to be the next woman across the cage from her.
KEEP TALKING FIGHTS.
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