Isreal Adesanya Knocks Out Alex Pereira in Second Round

Israel Adesanya won his UFC middleweight championship fight with a brutal second-round knockout against Alex Pereira at UFC 287 in Miami on Sunday.

Adesanya avenged his fifth-round TKO loss to the Brazilian last November in a fight he had been winning on the scorecards.

“Brah, they say revenge is sweet, and if you know me, I’ve got a sweet tooth!,” Adesanya told UFC interviewer Joe Rogan. “This is f….ing sweet!

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“No matter what, Alex is a great champion. He lost the belt tonight, but he will always be a champion. In his story I’m the antagonist, I’m the bad guy, but tonight it’s my story, history.”

The Miami crowd seemed firmly behind Adesanya before the start of the five-round contest with the Brazilian’s entrance met with a smattering of boos.

Pereira, however, looked firmly focussed as he strutted to the octagon, pausing briefly to aim an arrow in Adesanya’s direction.

Adesanya had earlier oozed confidence as he hugged his team and trainer Eugene Bareman. He then let out a roar and danced to the music before entering the octagon to loud cheers.

The first round began cagily with neither fighter wanting to over-commit before Adesanya became the early aggressor.

But the fight came alive in the second round.

Pereira started strongly and rocked Adesanya with a big right hand. The New Zealander bounced off the fence and fired back immediately, driving the Brazilian backwards with a right of his own and some high kicks.

Then it was all over with a devastating punch.

With Pereira trapping Adesanya on the fence and unleashing a heavy knee to the body, Adesanya then detonated a right hand that knocked Pereira out cold.

A jubilant Adesanya danced around the cage in celebration, aiming an arrow at the prone Pereira before sportingly going over to touch gloves with the Brazilian after he got back to his feet after his knockdown.

Adesanya’s quickfire victory took his MMA career record to 24 wins and two losses.