LAFrank Franklin Ii/Associated PressBEL

[{"selector":"#anim-1bc47355-042e-4fc6-ac50-9ca37af4f924 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(20.527693542816156%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e813dc99-2183-4d75-991e-0b895f64d13c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(95.57740%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-eb9226b6-9671-4a39-a283-7c363ffdd850","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-baaad2e3-bceb-494b-b2a8-c016456ecf37","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Israel Adesanya, the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s longtime middleweight champion, strolled slowly into the octagon at U.F.C. 281 against Alex Pereira, a man whom Adesanya said he would expose. LAFrank Franklin Ii/Associated PressBEL

[{"selector":"#anim-51c6f39d-c900-4a4e-8cfa-b3dca6798744 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fd1f3a92-f110-4c63-a757-1cfc94cb4287","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.49139%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-58c0f0b7-5a22-4e0b-ada8-723581fb7df1","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-776201ff-9bd0-48b9-a88c-4b2b674327d7","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Alex Pereira defeated Israel Adesanya via technical knockout in the fifth round to claim the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s middleweight title, ending Adesanya’s reign atop the division and likely setting up a rematch sometime in the future. Jamie Squire/Getty Images

[{"selector":"#anim-25d839ef-43a8-439b-99bd-e1c62166d3af [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b633532d-c53e-4aa2-89c0-a061f979931a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.24570%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d3a7d28d-f381-428f-b2f4-a707320d0b83","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-09d7246e-4e79-4ab6-a11d-70273a468521","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Adesanya joined the UFC in 2018 after losing his last kickboxing bout against Pereira. Winning the UFC middleweight title in 2019, he has defended the belt five times.

[{"selector":"#anim-da97ac4b-c234-43db-afce-c0d490cdfefe [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-7.105427357601002e-15%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4b651f3b-1ae1-4391-aa34-d58c514e8db2","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.24570%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0bf2a538-ebf3-43f3-9714-6e166f92d01f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8c60a1b6-9ed2-4e3d-aded-4f452d493d15","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] The UFC strawweight title is also on the line as Carla Esparza defends the title against Zhang Weili. A two-time champion, Esparza won the belt during the finale of The Ultimate Fighter in 2014 but lost it against Joanna Jedrzejczyk.

Pereira wins via technical knockout.

[{"selector":"#anim-ef2bfed7-c7f0-4f58-a8e4-6d7b52862bf5 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(5.936253234556059%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cda09e32-02bb-45da-be29-aa94da39221c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.24570%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-cc005f27-89be-4da1-9b5f-f18a96ec1310","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-343ada08-8e7b-4e7d-8534-17ebcae7fc92","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}]

[{"selector":"#anim-e23de928-46e1-4475-b14e-eca7bc9ba6c1 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(6.872788109970983%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1741ec02-d7c8-4c87-83b0-e273ac1cd591","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.24570%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ba430c39-4560-4a61-9655-4b5acdf01adb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1a90b4ce-c54c-4d3e-a936-b715cf9d5ddb","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] Adesanya takes Round 4. Controlled the clinch and did more work with grappling against the fence.

[{"selector":"#anim-d8248f6f-bba3-4a6a-ac24-87b72debba64 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(6.134612753039377%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2c4eae44-0423-4266-8118-9dd790d3466c","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.24570%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2e1d7999-1967-424e-b5b1-5a06c7a8bb1d","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b2473ddb-f1af-4b71-9900-32972e73aada","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] 10-9 for Pereira in Round 2, I think. Controlled the clinch exchanges, had solid body shots and then had a takedown at the end of the round.

[{"selector":"#anim-7777fbec-b06e-4a84-a721-213c1e758834 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(7.103415784710094%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6389f4af-d37e-4377-bd5a-991f1e9a980d","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.24570%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-56d24487-ae8f-4b7e-9cd7-b8adf30bd669","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-937a0e55-b5c9-4a4b-bd2a-5a4258ff49aa","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] From the cageside view, Alex Pereira is noticeably bigger than Adesanya,

[{"selector":"#anim-f4d2894c-2d2a-40ed-bfa9-7c45f7878114 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(6.777241700935967%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-be3db487-41b7-4898-8d5f-37df22609384","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.24570%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-96326a2e-9e07-43a8-b47e-b7623aa72c40","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b1e6e085-831a-4f63-a310-d57f3d33b7bd","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] As Adesanya retreated to the fence, Pereira followed and peppered him with punches to the face, stunning him and nearly knocking him unconscious.

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[{"selector":"#anim-03986165-86ff-482e-af83-c7e1ed62c263","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(100.24570%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e6773649-6c06-47ea-9e41-cb57e4b6dcea","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-037796cb-dc66-451f-9ed9-1d1b04315903","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] More Stories