Welterweight fighter Cosmo Alexandre returned to action after more than two years on the sidelines, in an absolute Muay Thai war against the United Kingdom’s Juan Cervantes.
The two power hitters met at the center of the ONE Championship circle in the main card of ONE on Prime Video 4: Abbasov vs. Lee, which was broadcast live from the Singapore Indoor Stadium on Friday, November 18.
Cervantes started the fight furiously, going on the offensive against Alexandre who was forced on the back foot. The Englishman looked on point with his timing and aggression, compared to Alexandre, who appeared just a touch out of sync.
An inside leg kick from Cervantes strayed low, hitting Alexandre on the cup to force a momentary pause in the action. ‘Good Boy’ took three minutes to recover, but was still on an unsteady base heading back to fight.
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
The action continued in the second round, as Cervantes piled on the pressure. However, you can never count Cosmo Alexandre out with his incredible show-stopping power. The Brazilian veteran connected on a vicious elbow that dropped Cervantes as he came in.
The referee completed the 10-count and Alexandre was awarded the finish. The end came officially at the 1:23 minute mark of round two, with ‘Good Boy’ taking home a knockout victory.
Cosmo Alexandre’s performance also earned him a US $50,000 bonus for his efforts, as he delivered an emotional post-fight speech.
Cosmo Alexandre announces his retirement
Despite his thrilling performance, Cosmo Alexandre took his moment in the circle to announce this was the last fight in his career. In an emotional post-fight interview with Mitch Chilson, Alexandre said:
“I believe this is my last fight. I’m really happy to finish my career here Chatri, I really appreciate it. My mind’s not here anymore, my body’s perfect. But I believe this is my last fight. I knew it would be my last fight, and so many friends are sending messages saying they’re praying for me.”
Alexandre leaves the sport with a legacy of being an electric knockout finisher. But greater than his exciting finishes in both Muay Thai and kickboxing, he’s probably best known for his 2019 stoppage of American mixed martial arts sensation Sage Northcutt.
Cosmo Alexandre obliterated Northcutt with one punch when they met in May of 2019, ending matters in just 29 seconds. Alexandre shattered Northcutt’s face in eight places, which required intensive reconstruction surgery and years of recovery and rehabilitation. Northcutt hasn’t fought since.