Israel Adesanya beat his long-time rival, Alex Pereira, with a stunning knockout at UFC 287 to regain the middleweight title in the early hours of Sunday, April 9. It was one of the best Easters Adesanya could ever wish for.
Pereira had his opponent up against the cage and seemingly in trouble late in the second round after a series of kicks to Adesanya’s vulnerable lead leg and began to unload with a series of body punches and a knee to the head.
But Adesanya absorbed the blows before countering with a right hook which shook Pereira and then delivered a right-left combination which sent the Brazilian crashing to the canvas and followed with a hammer punch to end the fight.
Adesanya suffered a controversial points loss to Pereira in their first fight, a kickboxing match, and in their rematch, the New Zealander was leading but was knocked out. In November, in their first MMA clash, again Adesanya was ahead but he was beaten in the final round.
On his fourth attempt, he finally got his win over Pereira in stunning fashion. The knockout blow had similarities with a moment in their last fight when Adesanya shook Pereira with a second remaining in the first round and landed an extra punch on the buzzer.
Speaking after his victory, Adesanya said he “played possum” to draw his long-time rival in before unleashing that devastating right hook. “Thank you for the defeats. You made me a better fighter. Alex Pereira will always be a champion, but tonight is my night. It’s my story. History,” he said.
Former United States President, Donald Trump, was among those in attendance at UFC 287, sitting in the front row next to Mike Tyson and UFC President, Dana White
