Big apple — Alex Pereira had Israel Adesanya’s variety in kickboxing. And he has it in MMA too.
Pereira, the simplest guy to ever knock out Adesanya, stopped him once more through TKO at 2 mins, 1 second of the 5th and very last round Saturday night time in the essential occasion of UFC 281 at Madison rectangular lawn. With the victory, Pereira won the UFC middleweight identify in only his fourth fight with the advertising. Adesanya had been the champion in view that 2019.
Adesanya were triumphing the fight until the final series, with Pereira firing a barrage of punches with Adesanya harm against the cage. Referee Marc Goddard stepped in to prevent it after a flurry of left hooks and proper hands, although Adesanya become never dropped.
Pereira said that during his corner before the fifth round, his coaches and his MMA mentor Glover Teixeira, the former UFC mild heavyweight champion, “saved it real” with him.
“I said, ‘Do I ought to knock him out?'” Pereira stated through an interpreter. “Glover stated, ‘You do ought to knock him out.’ I stated, ‘adequate, allow’s do it.'”
Pereira and Adesanya fought two times earlier than in kickboxing, with Pereira prevailing each instances, the maximum latest a 2017 knockout of Adesanya.
“it is some other remarkable tale for him, but it’s now not over,” Adesanya stated. “this is nevertheless battle.”
Coming in, ESPN had Adesanya ranked No. 2 on its pound-for-pound list of exceptional MMA opponents. At middleweight, Adesanya changed into No. 1, and Pereira became ranked No. 7.
All 3 judges had Adesanya beforehand 39-37 going into the fifth round, with Adesanya winning each round besides the second. There were comparable occasions of their 2nd kickboxing match, with Adesanya dominating the primary two rounds before Pereira knocked him out within the third.
“F—ing crazy, isn’t it?” Adesanya stated. “much like the closing time — equal story.”
In the first round on Saturday, Adesanya rocked Pereira at the give up, and a wobbly Pereira changed into essentially saved through the bell. Pereira came again strong in the second round with a couple of his signature left hooks. Adesanya became capable of maintain Pereira at bay in the 1/3 and fourth and even did a few wrestling and grappling to win the 1/3.
Inside the fifth, Adesanya oddly stumbled and rolled backward after a leg kick exchange. He said inside the postfight news convention that Pereira landed a kick to the peroneal nerve of his proper leg, which could numb the leg.
“that’s why my footwork became compromised,” Adesanya said. “It was just my leg. My leg gave away. Kudos to him. He invested in the ones [calf kicks] properly.”
Pereira (7-1) knocked out Sean Strickland in the first spherical at UFC 276 in July to earn the identify shot. The Brazilian slugger has six KO/TKOs in seven career MMA victories and is 4-zero within the UFC. Pereira, 35, is a former Glory Kickboxing middleweight and mild heavyweight champion.
“so many years of difficult paintings and willpower, and here i’m, champion of the arena,” Pereira said.
Adesanya (23-2) had received three straight fights and changed into undefeated at middleweight coming into this bout. His simplest career loss earlier than this become in a mild heavyweight name combat remaining 12 months in opposition to Jan Blachowicz. The Nigerian-born New Zealand resident had 5 a success middleweight title defenses following a win over Robert Whittaker to earn the belt in October 2019. Adesanya, 33, was coming off a unanimous decision win over Jared Cannonier at UFC 276 in July.
UFC president Dana White stated he would not rule out a right away rematch between Pereira and Adesanya, which Adesanya said he’s awaiting.
“he’s been a splendid champion for us,” White stated of Adesanya. “He loves to fight all of the time. He does not say no. He will fight each person. Those are a laugh guys to have. And he is an awesome character.”
