November 12, 2022
UFC 281: Pereira Stops Adesanya to Win Title
On November 12, 2022, at UFC 281 in Madison Square Garden, Alex Pereira defeated Israel Adesanya by fifth-round technical knockout to become the UFC middleweight champion. The result converted their historical kickboxing rivalry into championship stakes in the Octagon [1][4].
Quick Facts
What Happened
On November 12, 2022, Alex Pereira challenged Israel Adesanya for the UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 281 in Madison Square Garden, New York. The fight stretched into the fifth round, where Pereira secured a technical knockout (TKO) victory, formally capturing the UFC middleweight title and recording his first MMA win over Adesanya [1][4]. Setup and context: The fight was promoted as a high-profile meeting between two fighters with a documented kickboxing history (Pereira had two prior professional wins over Adesanya in 2016 and 2017) and as a title fight with major career implications. Media previews cited both the historical ledger and recent public comments; Pereira framed his campaign as motivated by earlier dismissals, while Adesanya described the matchup as personal redemption in pre-fight interviews [1]. The incident itself: Pereira's victory came via fifth-round TKO. Coverage described the fight as competitive and discussed how the earlier kickboxing finishes and the public back-and-forth elevated the bout's stakes. After the fight, Pereira's win was framed as a culmination of a cross-discipline rivalry being settled at championship level in the UFC [1][4]. Immediate reactions: Journalists and analysts highlighted the significance of a fighter who had beaten Adesanya twice in kickboxing now taking the UFC belt, and pre/post-fight quotes from both men emphasized motivation and personal history; for example, Pereira said he used Adesanya's earlier comments as fuel, and Adesanya said, "The worst has already happened. Now, I just have to go out there and f--- this guy up," in pre-fight coverage [1].
What They Said
“"I never forgot any word that he said. I used that as motivation to climb all the way up here for this. I'm like the stone in his shoe."”
“"The worst has already happened. Now, I just have to go out there and f--- this guy up."”
Why It Matters
The November 12, 2022 UFC 281 result mattered because it moved the Adesanya–Pereira rivalry from kickboxing record books into the highest level of MMA competition and changed the middleweight championship landscape: Pereira captured UFC gold by defeating the reigning champion, and the victory underscored how past stand-up outcomes could translate into title implications in the UFC [1][4]. The fight became a focal point for narratives about revenge, validation, and legacy for both fighters.
What Happened Next
After UFC 281, Pereira left Madison Square Garden as the new UFC middleweight champion, and the result set up an immediate rematch at UFC 287 less than five months later. Media and fighters continued to reference the historical kickboxing results and the 2020 Sporting News remark as part of the rivalry's storyline. Both fighters gave public comments during the promotional cycle: Pereira emphasized motivation drawn from earlier dismissals, and Adesanya framed the rematch as redemption leading into UFC 287 on April 8, 2023 [1][4].