Former UFC star Chael Sonnen has some interesting thoughts on the stoppage during the UFC 300 main event fight between light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and former champion Jamahal Hill. While everyone is focusing on the stunning knockout Max Holloway had over Justin Gaethje, Sonnen has been watching and dissecting the final seconds of the other highlight reel finish.
“I go back, and I watched Herb and Alex. What I never looked for, is what Jamahal did. Have you? .. Jamahal stops," Sonnen said on his YouTube page. “You’ve never seen a referee step in and a fighter tell him get back.”
The truth is, we actually have seen that Demetrious Johnson did something similar in one of his fights. But Sonnen continues.
“So, Jamahal begins that break in the action, when Herb gets notified and makes the decision that he’s going to get out of [the way]. .. As [Jamahal] turns his head, Alex took the angle," he said.
But if you actually watch the video you see Jamahall touch gloves with Pereira before the fight continues and it's a few seconds before the knockout even comes. Sonnen seems to think the second or so that Herb Dean approaches to stop the fight, is the reason Pereira was able to land the knockdown blow.