Nigerian mixed martial artist Israel Adesanya regained his UFC middleweight title by knocking out Brazilian archrival Alex Pereira in the main event of UFC 287 at the FTX Arena in Miami on Saturday.
Although it was just their second bout in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the pair had faced each other on two other occasions during their kickboxing careers (2016 and 2017), with Pereira emerging victorious in all three previous contests, including last November when he snatched Adesanya’s title with a last round knockout.
However, it was the “The Last Stylebender” who was victorious last night, sealing an unprecedented second-round knockout.
Adesanya dropped the Brazilian with a vicious right hook, followed by a one-two punch, before delivering a match-ending hammer blow to reclaim a title he lost just less than six months ago.
Hard to imagine a better feeling ???? #UFC287 pic.twitter.com/Ops6sTX9gA
— UFC (@ufc) April 9, 2023
After the fight, the 33-year-old roared for joy before taunting Pereira with his famous bow and arrow celebration.
“I hope every one of you can feel this level of happiness for one time in your life,” said Nigeria-born fighter. “But guess what – you’ll never feel this level of happiness if you don’t go for something in your life. When they knock you down, if you stay down, you will never get that resolve.
“Fortify your mind and feel this level of happiness. I’m blessed to feel this again and again and again.”
“I told you the hunter is now the hunted. Thank you for beating me because beating me made me a better fighter, a better person,” Adesanya continued.
“In this camp I didn’t [mess] around. If you know me, I like to vacation but I stayed on the grind and I put myself through it,” he concluded.
THE HUNTER BECOMES THE HUNTED ???? #UFC287 pic.twitter.com/J6ixiwWiit
— UFC (@ufc) April 9, 2023
The victory meant Adesanya becomes a two-time middleweight champion, after handing Pereira the first defeat of his five-fight UFC career.
In the co-main event, hometown favourite Jorge Masvidal lost by unanimous decision to Brazil’s Gilbert Burns, with the former drawing the curtain on his 20-year career.
After the pulsating fight, Burns then called for a shot at a title fight with British welterweight champion Leon Edwards.
