Nigerian-born mixed martial artist, Israel Adesanya, has reclaimed the UFC middleweight belt after defeating Alex Pereira at the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 287 in Miami, Florida.
Adesanya knocked out the Brazilian fighter in the second round of the bout, which took place at the FTX Arena on Sunday morning.
This victory marks Adesanya’s first-ever win over Pereira, who had previously defeated him twice, including a vicious fifth-round knockout in November 2022.
Adesanya’s victory came as a result of his improvement in discipline, which he demonstrated throughout the fight.
Despite the constant infuriation of Pereira’s low kicks to his right calf, Adesanya maintained his composure and kept a hard mask of control through the first round.
In the second round, Adesanya charged out of his reserved stance and flew after Pereira with strings of attacks.
Although Pereira initially countered Adesanya’s moves and pinned him with a flurry of punches to the corner, Adesanya was able to wriggle out of the trap with a vicious left hook, followed by a debilitating right cross-jab that sent Pereira to the mat. Adesanya then finished the job with some ground and pound, and the referee was forced to call the match.
Adesanya’s win over Pereira marks his 24th victory in his career in mixed martial arts (MMA), with just two losses.
