Israel Adesanya reclaimed the middleweight title tonight at UFC 287 in spectacular fashion by KO’ing his nemesis Alex Pereira in the second round.
Round One:
The middleweight title headliner is underway in Miami!
Calf kick for Pereira. Body kick for Adesanya and then a leg kick for good measure.
Calf kick for Adesanya. Low kick for Pereira. Adesanya lands one too. Calf kick for Pereira. Head kick attempt from Adesanya.
Adesanya coming forward and is greeted by two calf kicks, then lands one of his own.
Head kick attempt from Pereira. Adesanya looks for a right hand but comes up short. Calf kick for Pereira. Punch gets through for Adesanya. Pereira goes to the body and then the leg kick.
Missed right hand from Adesanya. He tries a head kick that’s blocked, but lands a body kick.
Low kick for Pereira as Adesanya lands a punch and kick to the calf. Calf kick for Pereira. Body kick for Adesanya.
Pereira continuing to find a home for the calf kick. Left hand for Adesanya. Another left from him. Jab for Pereira. A final calf kick for Pereira.
Round Two:
Body kick for Adesanya. Missed leg kick from Pereira. Body kick for Adesanya. Inside leg kick from the former champ. He tries for a question-mark kick. Head kick threatens but misses from PEreira.
Pereira suddenly coming forward with more aggression and is landing punches. Adesanya starts to press forward and digs to the body.
Right hand for Adesanya. Now a body kick. Jab for Adesanya. He tries for a head kick that’s blocked. Calf kick for Pereira. Head kick misses from Adesanya and punches to the body.
Punch for Adesanya and Pereira lands the jab crisply. Right hand lands for Adesanya. He gets through with a right hook. Low kick for Pereira.
Inside leg kick from Adesanya. Nice left hook for Adesanya. He lands a left hand and misses with a right.
Adesanya rips to the body and then tries to land upstairs. Pereira with a low kick. He tries a head kick that misses.
Right hand for Adesanya. Brief exchange in close but neither man landed clean. Calf kick for Pereira and Adesanya’s leg buckled for a split-second.
Pereira getting aggressive again and lands a heavy punch to the body, a leg kick and a knee upstairs.
However, Adesanya bites down on his gumshield and fires back with a big right hook and then follows it up with another that knocks Pereira out cold, with a final hammerfist crashing down when he hits the mat!!
Amazing KO finish at 4.21mins of the second round for Adesanya at a moment when he looked to be in serious trouble, to finally defeat his nemesis at the fourth attempt.
