MIAMI, Florida – Hunted by Alex’s shadow, who stands as his nemesis in combat sports, including the embarrassing technical knockout that he suffered during their bout last November, dethroning him from his belt, Izzy now stood on top, reclaiming the title that once was his.
Israel “Izzy” Adesanya shut the lights out as he reclaimed his UFC middleweight championship belt, defeating Alex Pereira via knockout at 4:21 of Round 2 in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 287 main event at Kaseya Center on Saturday, April 9, 2023.
In retrospect, Pereira has a clean 3-0 record against Izzy in combat sports. 2 of which came from kickboxing and his last win during their UFC 281 in a standing, come-from-behind TKO victory to steal the UFC middleweight belt, making him the nemesis of Izzy in combat sports, which adds up to the natural rivalry of both warriors.
The fierce Adesanya, a Brazilian native, opened the round with a series of light leg kicks and showcased his mastery of striking, while Pereira relied on his signature power. Both were in search of earning positions, filling the first round with exchanges of hard-earned points. The second round started with the enormous crowd cheering heavily for Adesanya, unleashing Pereira’s striking prowess as he landed a heavy knee strike and a barrage of punches, sending Izzy’s back on the cage.
As Adesanya received multiple strikes and heavy blows from Pereira, Izzy remained focused and registered two rigorous, forceful right hands, knocking down Pereira. He then followed it up with a vigorous finishing hammer fist before referee Dan Miragliotta stopped the fight.
Izzy stood over his combat sport kryptonite and acted like he was snapping arrows toward Pereira, triggering a thunderous roar in the Kaseya Center.
Israel Adesanya, 33, rolled on an 8-2 record in UFC title fights, marking his second stint as the king of the middleweight division, while Alex Pereira, 35, succumbed to his first defeat in Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) since his professional debut in 2015.