BREAKING: Nigeria’s Adesanya loses the UFC middleweight championship by knockout against Pereira.
Isreal Adesanya of Nigeria was defeated by Alex Pereira in the fifth round to win the title of UFC middleweight.
On Sunday, November 13, 2022, in Madison Square Garden in New York City, the Brazilian defeated Adesanya in the bout under the hashtag #UFC281.
Adesanya suffered his first loss in the division and third against the Brazilian after defeats in 2016 and 2017. Pereira landed a barrage of blows, including an uppercut.
With only five UFC fights, Pereira is crowned the new undisputed champion.
The referee ended it before the buzzer, and an obviously shaken, hurt, and wobbly Adesanya was unable to keep up.
After dominating the first two rounds and shocking his opponent with a takedown in the third, Adesanya was unable to compete in the fourth.
Less than three months prior, Nigerian Kamaru Usman lost his UFC title to Leon Edwards in the main event of UFC 278.
Edward became the second-ever UFC champion from Britain after defeating Usman, the “Nigerian Nightmare.”
