Five months later in UFC 287 in Miami early Sunday, Adesanya dropped the middleweight champion Pereira with two proper palms, then raised his fists in triumph as he took again his middleweight championship belt and cemented his legacy as one of many biggest fighters within the sport’s historical past.

“I hope every one of you behind the screen or in this arena can feel this level of happiness just one time in your life,” Adesanya stated. “But guess what, you’ll never feel this level of happiness if you don’t go for something.”

Pereira (7-2) landed a knee that pushed Adesanya (24-2) into the cage within the second spherical. Adesanya got here off the cage with two proper hooks and a proper hammer fist, adopted by floor and pound to finish the struggle at 4:21.

The 35-year-old Pereira had by no means misplaced to Adesanya. Before he scored a TKO win for the welterweight belt in UFC 281 in November, Pereira defeated Adesanya twice in kick boxing.

Adesanya, born in Nigeria however raised in New Zealand, entered the UFC in 2018 and gained the middleweight belt a yr later when he beat then-champion Robert Whittaker in a shocking knockout.

He efficiently defended his title 5 occasions as he turned one of many sport’s foremost attracts. He was in unfamiliar territory Saturday because the challenger.

“They say revenge is sweet,” Adesanya stated. “And if you know me, I’ve got a sweet tooth.”

Fighting in his hometown because the UFC returned to Miami for the primary time in 20 years, Jorge Masvidal (35-17) misplaced a unanimous choice to fifth-ranked welterweight contender Gilbert Burns (22-5).

Burns damage Masvidal with a sequence of head pictures, and Masvidal appeared winded because the struggle went on. Afterward, Burns paid respect to the veteran Masvidal.

“We’re here because of this guy, 52 pro fights,” Burns stated to the gang, which chanted “Let’s go Jorge” all through. “Give it up for your guy.”

Masvidal, who turns 39 in November, entered the match on a three-fight shedding streak having misplaced back-to-back title challenges to Kamaru Usman and a unanimous choice to longtime rival Colby Covington.

Masvidal appeared to retire from the game after the loss.

“It’s been a long 20 years, 50-something fights,” stated Masvidal, who entered the UFC in 2013. “Sometimes your favorite basketball player doesn’t have that three-pointer no more. Your favorite quarterback loses that rifle. And I don’t feel the same when I get in here.”

Veteran Rob Font (20-6) snapped Adrian Yanez’s (16-3) nine-fight profitable streak with a knockout at 2:57 within the first spherical. They traded pictures early earlier than Font landed a strong proper hook that dropped Yanez. Font, who returned to pay-per-view for the primary time in 5 years, completed the struggle with floor and pound.

“It’s been a while since I got a finish,” Font stated. “I needed this finish for myself. I needed it for my team. I needed it for my family.”

Kevin Holland (23-9) face planted Santiago Ponzinibbio (30-7) with an enormous left hand at 3:16 of the ultimate spherical of their welterweight bout, then jumped over the cage to speak to UFC president Dana White and former U.S. president Donald Trump, who had been in a offered out crowd that featured Usman, Los Angeles Rams defensive sort out Aaron Donald, Odell Beckham Jr., Mike Tyson and extra.

Ponzinibbio nailed a sequence of kicks to Holland’s legs all through the struggle. Holland was visibly in ache by the third spherical earlier than a strong left hook despatched Ponzinibbio face-first into the mat.

Christian Rodriguez (9-1) handed 18-year-old Raul Rosas Jr. (7-1), the UFC’s youngest fighter, his first profession loss with a unanimous choice win within the bantamweight main-card opener. In weigh-ins, Rodriguez was 137 kilos, one pound over the bantamweight restrict, and he apologized instantly after the struggle.

“First thing’s first, I want to apologize for being a pound overweight to the UFC and to Raul’s team,” Rodriguez stated. ___