Israel Adesanya lastly beat long-time rival Alex Pereira with a surprising knockout at UFC 287 to regain his middleweight title.
Pereira had his opponent up in opposition to the cage and seemingly in bother late within the second spherical after a collection of kicks to Adesanya’s susceptible lead leg, and commenced to unload with a collection of physique punches and a knee to the pinnacle.
However Adesanya absorbed the blows earlier than countering with a proper hook from nowhere which shook Pereira, after which delivered a right-left mixture to ship the Brazilian crashing to the canvas, and he adopted up with hammer fists to finish the combat.
Adesanya suffered a controversial factors loss to Pereira of their first combat, a kickboxing match, and within the rematch the New Zealander was main however was knocked out. In November, of their first MMA conflict, once more Adesanya was forward however he was overwhelmed within the last spherical.
Right here, on his fourth try, he lastly received his win over Pereira, and in beautiful vogue.
The knockout blow had similarities with a second of their final combat when Adesanya shook Pereira with a second remaining within the first spherical and landed an additional punch on the buzzer. The consensus was that yet one more punch – yet one more second – would have been sufficient for Adesanya to get the win, and right here he had time to ship it.
Talking within the octagon after his victory, Adesanya stated he “performed possum” to attract Pereira in earlier than unleashing that devastating proper hook. “Thanks for the defeats,” Adesanya stated. “You made me a greater fighter. Alex Pereira will at all times be a champion, however tonight is my night time. It’s my story. Historical past.”
Commentating on BT Sport within the Kaseya Middle in Miami, Joe Rogan described the knockout as “one of many best KOs I’ve seen in my life”.
Within the co-main occasion, hometown fighter Jorge Masvidal misplaced in opposition to Gilbert Burns on factors earlier than asserting his retirement from MMA.
Former US president Donald Trump was amongst these in attendance at UFC 287, sitting within the entrance row subsequent to Mike Tyson and UFC president Dana White.