UFC: Adesanya Knocks Out Old Foe Pereira In Two Rounds

Adesanya got his revenge over Pereira in two rounds and regained his middleweight crown

Nigerian mixed martial arts fighter, Israel Adesanya, defeated his old foe, Alex Pereira, for the first time since both fighters first fought in 2017.

Sunday morning’s early fight at the Octagon in Miami was the 33-year-old’s first win over the Brazilian who had defeated Adesanya in two consecutive fights. It was also the second time both fighters would fight in the venue where Adesanya first lost his historic fight in the UFC’s middleweight category.

Their last fight in November 2022, raised so much doubt about Adesanya’s top level performance in the sports where he lost for the first time in his middleweight career to Periera who knocked out the Nigerian in the fifth round.

But the Sunday night fight only lasted for two rounds as Adesanya with just two punches midway into the second round dazed Pereira who had earlier in the first round dominated the bout with his trademark jabs and calf kicks.

Adesanya, whose back was against the net was hit heavily by the Brazilian and Nigerian fans might have thought he would drop the baton just like he did last November before his first right-hand shot disorganised Pereira.

Adesanya then did it the second time to send his old foe to the ground, out cold before placing a hammer fist to seal his 16th knockout in 26 MMA fights.

While speaking after the fight, Adesanya said the hunter had been hunted.

“I told you, the hunter is now the hunted. I thought I told him this before but thank you. Thank you for beating me.

‘By beating me, he made me a better fighter. A better person. In this camp, I didn’t f*** around. If you know me, you know I like a vacation but I didn’t f*** around. I stayed on the grind,” Adesanya added.