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Israel Adesanya tasted victory once again in UFC after knocking out Alex Pereira to win back the middleweight belt in Miami on Saturday night.
As the "Last Stylebender" has done many times in the past, he delivered an iconic celebration after delivering the final blows at UFC 287.
Pereira, who defeated Adesanya in November to strip him of the 185-pound belt, used a right knee to the face that backed his opponent into the cage. But he wasn’t prepared for Adesanya’s two quick right hooks that had him stumble down to the canvas.
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Israel Adesanya punches Alex Pereira in their middleweight title bout during UFC 287 at Kaseya Center on April 8, 2023, in Miami. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
A right hammer fist from Adesanya saw the referee quickly get in between the fighters, and that was it: Adesanya was champion once more.
As the referee checked to make sure Pereira was OK, Adesanya stepped back and pulled invisible arrows from his back and "shot them" at Pereira before letting out a scream in celebration.
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"I hope every one of you behind the screen or in this arena can feel this level of happiness just one time in your life," Adesanya said in his post-fight interview. "But guess what, you’ll never feel this level of happiness if you don’t go for something."
Israel Adesanya celebrates after knocking out Alex Pereira at Kaseya Center on April 8, 2023, in Miami. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
Adesanya moved to a career 24-2 in UFC, while Pereira is now 7-2. Adesanya has been in this position before, but never against Pereira, who beat him in kickboxing twice prior to the November win that earned him the title.
With this victory, Adesanya’s happiness was on clear display.
"They say revenge is sweet," he added. "And if you know me, I’ve got a sweet tooth."
Adesanya quickly became a main ticket-worthy fighter after breaking into UFC in 2018. He showed confidence and had the record to back it up, while his infectious personality made him a favorite among fans.
Israel Adesanya moved to a career 24-2 in UFC. (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
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Now he’s back on top of his weight division. But could there be a third round of this budding rivalry between Adesanya and Pereira down the road?
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