Israel Adesanya’s first UFC loss came at the hands of Jan Błachowicz, but that didn’t really count. He stepped up to test himself in a new weight class and got outwrestled, but his belt wasn’t on the line. This; getting Technically Knocked Out by Alex Pereira; is his first real defeat and it’s sort of surreal. Even the commentators can’t seem to believe it as the normally elusive Stylebender gets pummeled by what may as well be the final boss in a video game.

To Adesanya’s credit, he looks to be on his way to another decision victory; he wobbles Pereira at the end of the first round and, perhaps taking a cue from Błachowicz, even goes on to mix in some ground work; until that fifth and final round when he gets a kick checked and tumbles backward. That marks the beginning of the end as Pereira backs him up against the cage and almost leaves him “Frozen like” he did in their last kickboxing bout.

my rating : 4 of 5

2022