On March 7th, 2021, Israel Adesanya retained his UFC middleweight title with a spectacular knockout of Alex Pereira in their highly anticipated rematch. Adesanya, the current UFC middleweight champion, had previously defeated Pereira in their first fight back in October 2019.
The fight was held at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates and was the main event of UFC 259. Adesanya was the clear favorite going into the fight, as he had won their first fight by unanimous decision.
Adesanya started the fight strong, landing several hard punches and kicks to Pereira’s body and head. Pereira was able to withstand the onslaught and even managed to land some of his own strikes. However, Adesanya’s superior technique and speed eventually proved too much for Pereira.
In the second round, Adesanya landed a devastating left hook that sent Pereira crashing to the canvas. Pereira was unable to recover and Adesanya was declared the winner by knockout.
The win was Adesanya’s 18th consecutive victory in the UFC and his ninth successful title defense. He is now considered one of the greatest fighters in UFC history and is widely regarded as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.
Adesanya’s victory over Pereira was a testament to his skill and determination as a fighter. He has now firmly established himself as one of the greatest middleweight champions in UFC history and will likely remain so for many years to come.
