BREAKING: Adesanya reclaims UCF middleweight title, knocks out Pereira

Adesanya knocks out Pereira

BREAKING: Adesanya reclaims UCF middleweight title, knocks out Pereira

Nigeria’s Israel Adesanya on Sunday morning shocked middleweight rival, Brazilian Alex Pereira, with a stunning knockout at the UFC 287 by “playing possum”.

With the victory, Adesanya has reclaimed the UCF middleweight title, which earlier lost to Pereira.

Adesanya, who had lost their previous three fights across kickboxing and MMA, seemed to be in a serious trouble in the second round after a series of kicks to his lead leg by Pereira, and the Brazilian moved in for the kill.

According to the UK Daily Independent, Pereira began to unload on his seemingly suffering opponent as the New Zealander backed against the cage, and it appeared only a matter of time before he secured a fourth win in their long rivalry.

Adesanya knocks out Pereira

But after absorbing a flurry of punches and a knee to the head, from seemingly nowhere Adesanya responded with a vicious right hook which visibly stunned Pereira, and the rapt crowd in Miami’s Kaseya Center roared as the challenger followed it up with a two-punch combination which sent his opponent crashing to the canvas and a hammer fist to end the fight.

“I played possum,” Adesanya later explained, suggesting he lured his opponent into a false sense of security.