Israel Adesanya won the UFC middleweight title at UFC 287, overcoming a Grade 1 MCL tear sustained two weeks before the fight to knock out his nemesis Alex Pereira.
Israel Adesanya claimed the UFC middleweight title at UFC 287 by knocking out Alex Pereira in the second round of the main event. This win was crucial for Adesanya, not just because he reclaimed the title, but also because he finally defeated his longtime nemesis, earning his first victory over Pereira in four tries. Impressively, Adesanya achieved this feat despite suffering a serious injury less than two weeks before the bout.
On his YouTube channel, Adesanya revealed that he had suffered a Grade 1 MCL tear during training the week prior to his fight. He also showed video footage of the incident and described how he felt when it happened, pushing through the pain, and his experiences on fight night. Adesanya recounted how he had previously dealt with injuries before his UFC debut and Derek Brunson fight, explaining that such experiences helped build his confidence and fortitude, and led to his belief that “they can’t break me.”
After the bout, Pereira announced his intention to move up to light heavyweight, eliminating the possibility of an MMA trilogy for now and prompting speculation about Adesanya’s next title challenger. However, Adesanya only has one person on his mind: Dricus du Plessis. There has been a heated exchange of words between the two in the media due to du Plessis’ comments on becoming the first “African champion” in the UFC. While the South African fighter has recently walked back those comments, the animosity remains strong between them.
Adesanya would like to settle this feud on African soil and has even talked to Dana White about the possibility. Despite challenges, Adesanya remains confident that the UFC can make it happen. However, du Plessis must first defeat former champion and top-ranked contender Robert Whittaker in a title eliminator bout at UFC 290 in July before that potential matchup with Adesanya can become a reality.