Alex Pereira pounced in the fifth round for a knockout over Israel Adesanya.
By Tolulope Onifade.
Alex Pereira defeated Israel Adesanya via technical knockout in the fifth round to claim the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s middleweight title, ending Adesanya’s reign atop the division and likely setting up a rematch sometime in the future.
Adesanya was likely up on the scorecards, three rounds to one, when he slipped in the middle of the octagon. He tried to recover but it was the beginning of the end.
As Adesanya retreated to the fence, Pereira followed and peppered him with punches to the face, stunning him and nearly knocking him unconscious.
Referee Marc Goddard ended the fight as Adesanya’s body went limp, though Adesanya protested the stoppage as he attempted to regain his composure.
It’s Adesanya’s first loss in the middleweight division and only his second loss in mixed martial arts.
Alex Pereira, left, took advantage of a slip by Israel Adesanya in the fifth round with a fluury of punches. (📸:Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
The two men shared history in earlier kickboxing matches, when Pereira defeated Adesanya twice, once via decision and once with a knockout.
Credit: The New York Times.
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