Pros react to Alex Pereira comeback win over Israel Adesanya

See how fellow fighters reacted to Alex Pereira pulling off a last-spherical finish to defeat Israel Adesanya and grow to be UFC middleweight winner at UFC 281.

For the next time in a three-thirty day period span, a UFC title fight ends in a fifth-round, comeback victory for the challenger. And in just his eighth MMA battle, and just his fourth in the Octagon, Alex Pereira can call himself a UFC champion.

Pereira defeated Israel Adesanya at UFC 281 to develop into the new UFC middleweight champion in the main function of the Madison Square Garden card.

Adesanya’s individual attack was viewed on display in the opening spherical, trying to choose his pictures from Pereira, who seemed to close up the cage versus “The Previous Stylebender.” Pereira clinched up with Adesanya late in the spherical and landed some noteworthy shots, but Adesanya landed a two-punch combo that rocked Pereira prior to the horn.

Pereira acquired back again into management in the next spherical, fighting in close and wobbling Adesanya late. Adesanya, on the other hand, managed to capture Pereira speeding in throughout the third and obtained to Pereira’s back again, landing some floor-and-pound and being in total handle.

Adesanya seemed in finish command all through the fourth, teeing off on a fatigued Pereira, but Pereira stumbled Adesanya with a still left hook in a blend in the fifth spherical, forcing the referee to step in and give the title to Pereira.

UFC 281: Professionals respond to Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira

Adesanya and Pereira have a prolonged historical past likely again to their days in kickboxing. They fought twice, with Pereira successful by selection in 2016 and by knockout in 2017. The knockout was so devastating Adesanya was stretchered out of the ring.

Adesanya gained the interim middleweight title at UFC 236 just before starting to be the undisputed winner by finishing Robert Whittaker at UFC 243. Because then, Adesanya has retained the title in opposition to Yoel Romero, Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori, Whittaker and Jared Cannonier. His sole MMA decline arrived at UFC 259, exactly where he challenged Jan Blachowicz for the UFC mild heavyweight title.

A previous GLORY middleweight and light heavyweight winner, Pereira produced his UFC debut final year at UFC 268 with a TKO of Andreas Michailidis. He experienced considering the fact that scored a decision over Bruno Silva at a March Battle Evening card and knocked out Sean Strickland at UFC 276.

 

UFC 281: Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira usually takes location on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, stay from Madison Sq. Back garden in New York, NY. Observe together with FanSided MMA for all your news and highlights.