“This is a sweet sweet victory and you know I have a sweet tooth. The hunter is now the hunted”, Israel Adesanya said during his post fight interview inside the octagon.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Israel Adesanya has reclaimed the UFC middleweight title from Alex Pereira in the main event of UFC 287 at the FTX Arena in Miami, Florida on Sunday morning.
A spectacular second round knockout was all Adesanya needed to defeat his long-time nemesis Pereira.
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The victory is Adesanya’s first-ever win over Pereira who defeated and took the belt off him with a vicious fifth-round knockout in November 2022.
The Brazilian had also defeated him twice before that fight at the Maddison Square Garden in New York.
In the end, Adesanya made good on what was likely his last chance to beat Pereira and improved his MMA fight record to 24-2 (13-2 UFC), while Pereira (7-2 MMA) suffered his first loss in the UFC (4-1 UFC).
Israel Adesanya, who has been in the shadows of the Brazilian since 2017 when they first met in kick-boxing, described his victory over Alex Pereira as a sweet revenge.
This time, it took one fierce punch from Adesanya’s right hand put out Pereira’s lights and handed the belt back to the Nigerian.
Just before the decisive punch, it was looking like it was going to be a repeat of November when Pereira had Adesanya boxed into a corner, sending head kicks and body shots.
Adesanya’s response came out of the blues and caught Pereira unaware, putting him to sleep just like it was for Adesanya during their meeting in kick-boxing.
“This is a sweet sweet victory and you know I have a sweet tooth. The hunter is now the hunted”, Adesanya said during his post fight interview inside the octagon.