UFC 287: How ‘Stylebender’ Adensanya Reclaimed Middleweight Title, Knocked Out Brazilian Nightmare

Nigerians had something to cheer about during Easter celebration with the victory of Nigerian born UFC Champion, Israel Adesanya who knocked out his Brazilian rival, Alex Pereira, in their middle weight championship rematch in the wee hours of Easter Sunday.

Adesanya popularly known as ‘the Stylebender’ had predicted his victory after reviewing his last fight with Pereira, where he said he had learnt what to do should he find himself in the same scenario that led to his defeat.

It was in the second round that Adesanya finished Pereira, knocking him out cold with two straight punches and a left hook sending him crashing to the canvass. The Stylebender followed up with a hammer punch on the chest before the intervention of the referee.

Prior to the fight, he had hosted his teammates, family and fans to a dinner where he emotionally saluted their courage and steadfastness in following and supporting him.

He also read some of the letters of his die-hard fans notably the kids who urged him to beat Pereira and that even if he loses he would remain their best fighter and champion.

Adesanya had reigned the middle weight category for a long time before the arrival of his arch rival who had punished him during their the glory kick boxing days.

On his entrance into the UFC, after the preliminaries, Pereira, the new comer beat those on his way up and climaxed this feat when ended Adesanya’s reign in November, 2022.

The Stylebender did not only redeem himself by breaking the Jinx of always getting beaten by the same man but re-ascended the throne as the UFC Middleweight King.

“On how he did it, he said: I don’t throw and hope, I aim and fire!”