Alex Pereira wins title, stops Israel Adesanya with fifth round standing knockout – UFC 281 Highlights
In an incredible turn of events, Alex Pereira rallies from a likely 1-4 round swing, to stop defending UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya with a staggering flurry of strikes in the fifth and final frame, minting himself as the new champion, as well as scoring his third career win over Adesanya in the main event of UFC 281.
Starting brightly against the defending champion and his arch-rival, Adesanya, Pereira pressed forward on cue as he looked to counter Adesanya at the fence, however, was rocked and almost stopped in the final seconds of the frame as the former turned on the heat.
Giving up the following three frames as Adesanya wrestled and countered well against the Sao Paulo native, Alex Pereira, who expended massive energy in the grappling exchanges with the City Kickboxing mainstay, managed to make his moment count in the fifth round.
Backing Adesanya to the Octagon fence, Pereira managed to find his way through Adesanya’s guard with an uppercut and that patented left hook — forcing the latter backwards and felling him. Keeping the pace up in search of a finish, Pereira wrapped up the finish and landed himself the undisputed UFC middleweight championship courtesy of a standing knockout triumph.
