President‑elect Asiwaju Bola Tinubu congratulated professional mixed‑martial‑artist Israel Adesanya after the fighter reclaimed the UFC middleweight belt at UFC 287. Tinubu posted on Twitter on Sunday, writing: “Congratulations to Israel Adesanya #stylebender on reclaiming the UFC Middleweight Title. He never stopped believing in himself and we did not stop believing in him. #NaijaProud.”
The bout unfolded dramatically. Early in the fight, Pereira unleashed body hooks and a knee to Adesanya’s ribs, pinning the champion against the cage. Suddenly, Pereira threw a right hook that caught Adesanya off guard, freezing him in a manner reminiscent of the end of the first round of their previous encounter. This time, however, there was no buzzer to save Pereira; the subsequent punch knocked him out cold. Adesanya celebrated by mimicking the firing of arrows at his rival.
Their rivalry dates back seven years and includes four previous meetings. In their first fight—a kickboxing match—Adesanya suffered a controversial points loss to Pereira. In a later kickboxing rematch, Adesanya was leading before being knocked out. Their inaugural MMA clash in November saw Adesanya ahead until he was defeated in the final round. Now, in stunning fashion, “The Last Stylebender” finally secures a victory over Pereira.
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