Alex Pereira knockout Israel Adesanya to become UFC middleweight champion

Nigeria’s Israel Adesanya has lost his UFC middleweight belt to Brazil’s Alex Pereira following a knockout defeat in the UFC281 main event at the Madison Square Garden, United States, in the earlier hours of Sunday.
Both fighters had prior history together, with Pereira having defeated Adesanya via a knockout win during their days in kickboxing. The Last Stylebender was determined to get his revenge prior to the fight.
In the final of the fight, with a decision victory seemingly imminent for Adesanya, having dominated the three rounds out of the previous four rounds, the Nigerian-New Zealander fighter blew it away with just two minutes remaining.
Adesanya allowed the Brazilian to pin him beside the rope and out of nowhere, the Brazilian landed several combos on The Last Stylebender. Unable to regain his stand, the referee stopped the fight, allowing Pereira to cruise to a TKO victory and become new UFC middleweight champion.
It was his first loss at middleweight in the UFC, while this is now his second loss in UFC, having lost to Jan Blachowicz in a bid for the light heavyweight title.
Nigeria has now lost all her title holders in the UFC after same fate befell Kamaru Usman in August, who lost his UFC Welterweight belt to Leon Edwards at UFC 278 in the same manner as that of Adesanya.
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette

Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

NationWide
Obi thanks God @65, donates ₦10 million to rural hospital in Anambra community
Mr Obi expressed gratitude to God and renewed commitment to the service of humanity.

States
Firearm, phone recovered as police nab four suspected kidnappers in Anambra
The command urged members of the public to remain vigilant.

Heading 3
Spain lift 2026 World Cup after beating Messi’s Argentina
The defeat meant that Lionel Messi and his Argentine teammates failed to become the first team to back-to-back World Cup titles in 64 years.

States
Fire service rescues man trapped under collapsed Kano wall
The PRO said that the victim was rescued alive and conveyed to the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital, Kano State.

Heading 1
Alake of Egbaland endorses PDP candidate Adebutu for 2027 Ogun governorship race
Mr Adebutu accused successive administrations of denying local governments the financial independence needed to drive development.

Hot news Home top
Tinubu urges ECOWAS to present united voice against Afro-phobic attacks in South Africa
Mr Tinubu condemned, in the strongest terms, the recent attacks on Nigerian citizens and other Africans in the Republic of South Africa.





