Israel Adesanya’s incredible second-round knockout of Alex Pereira at UFC 287 earlier this month made UFC play-by-play man Jon Anik nearly fall out of his chair.
Perhaps one of the best things about witnessing a highlight-reel knockout inside the Octagon is the video feed that shows the immediate reaction of the event’s commentary team. To celebrate Israel Adesanya reclaiming the UFC middleweight championship, the promotion released a video clip on Twitter highlighting the always-entertaining reactions of Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Daniel Cormier immediately following the knockout blow delivered by ‘The Last Stylebender.’
In a hilarious turn of events, the moment took commentator Jon Anik out of his chair and nearly into the stands, though it looked like Joe Rogan may have given him a little shove in the process. We’re certain it was unintentional, but funny nevertheless.
What Comes Next for Israel Adesanya After Reclaiming the UFC Middleweight Championship?
With his victory at UFC 287, Israel Adesanya finally broke through, scoring his first win over longtime rival Alex Pereira after going 0-3 against the Brazilian boogeyman dating back to their days under the GLORY Kickboxing banner. Despite being deadlocked at 1-1 inside the Octagon, don’t hold your breath for a potential trilogy bout. Alex Pereira has already confirmed that his next matchup will be at light heavyweight. ‘Poatan’ left the door open for a potential return to middleweight, but if he finds success at 205, it’s unlikely that he would come back down for anything other than a potential ‘champ-champ’ opportunity.
Back on top of the middleweight division, many fans wonder what will be next for ‘The Last Stylebender’ considering he’s already cleared out a majority of the division. A third meeting with perennial contender Robert Whittaker is always a possibility, but it sounds like Adesanya has his own eyes locked on becoming a two-division titleholder. With light heavyweight king Jamahal Hill currently in limbo with no clear contender, a champion vs. champion clash between himself and Israel Adesanya could be in the cards.
Who would you like to see Israel Adesanya face inside the Octagon next?