Israel Adesanya was sure-footed that he could hold his rubric when he took on Alex Pereira inwards UFC 281. He was mistaken, and wasn’t the only when one to lose, as the rapper Sir Francis Drake had expected him to win, as well.

For much of the fight, Adesanya was inward control. He took advantage of his kicks and speedy punches to the face of his Brazilian opponent, who ended upwardly staying live thanks to the bell.

However, despite tracking inward the matchup, Pereira began hurting The Last Stylebender inwards the fourth. He stepped inward mostly with oversewn punches that continued to pummel his opponent into the fifth and final round.

Adesanya Loses Crown

Pereira took cut down Adesanya past TKO to win the middleweight belt. He landed several hooks until referee Marc Goddard intervened to prevent farther damage. At the terminate of the fight, the unexampled champ raised his hand to show ‘3-0,’ a source to the identification number of times he has beaten Adesanya.

Pereira and Adesanya traded punches and takedowns for cinque rounds, and it was later(a) in the net labialize when the South American pressured the former champ to the fence. He so ruined him cancelled with some force shots that forced the ref’s intervention.

The fifth and final labialize arrived, where Pereira demonstrated his force from different combinations. He came at his opposing with a correct oversewn and a yoke of hooks that were fateful for Adesanya, ending the fight.

For the net assault, Pereira knew that only if a knockout would do, which he achieved with deuce proceedings remaining in the fight. After just now having four fights inwards the UFC, the Brazilian became the world-beater of the middleweights.

On the difference of the UFC 281 card, Weili Zhang took the strawweight title from Carla Esparza, submitting her in the indorse round. In a major upset, Dustin Poirier ruined Michael Raymond Thornton Chandler at the stop of the third round.

In addition, ex-serviceman former lightweight champ Frankie Edgar retired after losing his bout against Chris Gutierrez via knockout.

Winners and Losers

He may have got missed inward the octagon, but Adesanya didn’t lose inward the wallet. UFC data estimates that he took nursing home $1.79M for the fighting – $1M for appearing, $42K through sponsorships and $750K in PPV sales.

Pereira scored by taking the title, but also fattened his cant account. He likely made $932,000, composed of $500K for accepting the fight, $100K for winning and $32K from sponsorships. To that he adds a $50K “performance” bonus and $300K inward PPV sales.

Esparza couldn’t standstill upwardly to her challenger, but took nursing home $542K – $500K for appearing, $42K through sponsorships and $150K inwards PPV sales. Weili’s wrinkle was larger, at $667K. That included $210K for the appearance, $100K for the win, $32K inwards sponsorships, $50K inwards a execution bonus and $275K inward PPV sales.

Sports betting and online gambling devotee Drake didn’t make as good as they did, though. He made come out the likes of a brigand the lastly time he backed Adesanya, but wasn’t able-bodied to procreate the results on the favourite inward UFC 281.

The Canadian River rapper seemingly pose upward $2 gazillion for The Last Stylebender to win. That’s twice as often as he laid shoot down inward the fighter’s UFC 276 bout, but things didn’t go considerably this clip around. There’s e'er next time, with UFC Fight Night coming this Saturday.