Israel Adesanya remembers everything.
Adesanya exacted his revenge on Alex Pereira tonight (Sat., Apr. 8, 2023) at UFC 287 from inside Miami-Dade Arena in Miami, Fla, when he knocked him unconscious in the second round, regaining his UFC Middleweight championship (watch here!)
Immediately after his knockout win, Adesanya pointed to Pereira’s son in the crowd and mocked his dad’s knockout.
UFC Welterweight contender Belal Muhammad caught the moment and posted it to Twitter.
Wow izzy. Doesn’t forget he got his revenge on his son pic.twitter.com/mX23VsiQlZ
— Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) April 9, 2023
The taunt was a callback to when “The Last Stylebender” got knocked out by Pereira in kickboxing, and Pereira’s son (Alessandro) mocked him shortly after.
Falei antes para não deixar subir no ringue (meu filho Alessandro após eu nocautear o Adesanya). I told them before not to let him in the ring (my son Alessandro after I knocked Adesanya out). pic.twitter.com/xsa8jaySWR
— Alex “Poatan” Pereira (@AlexPereiraUFC) September 2, 2022
When asked about it during the UFC 287 post-fight press conference (watch here), Adesanya confirmed it.
“I’m petty, bro,” Adesanya told reporters. “I remember the first time [Pereira] knocked me out in Brazil, and his son came into the ring and then started to lie dead next to me, and I’m like, ‘you f—kling little asshole. I’ll whoop your ass if your dad don’t do it for you.’
But then, yeah, I looked for his kid, and I pointed at him, and I saw him, and I was like, hey, hey, hey, [motions like he fell] just to remind him.”
Indeed, Adesnya got revenge on both of the Pereira’s at UFC 287.
For complete UFC 287 results and coverage click here.