The best UFC middleweight champion of all time, and the worst
The worst UFC middleweight champion of all time: Alex Pereira
Adesanya had looked invincible in his nine-fight UFC winning streak that began with his first fight and continued through his fifth title fight, including an interim title, a unified title, and three defenses. Prior to the UFC, Adesanya had won his first 11 fights in smaller promotions.
Adesanya's first loss in the UFC came at the hands of Jan Blachowicz, as Adensanya attempted to join the ranks of simultaneous two-division champions. The hardcore MMA fans were keenly aware that Adesanya had losses in kickboxing to Alex Pereira and salivated at the thought of bringing him to the UFC to put the cringe king in his place.
The UFC brass undoubtedly saw the hype for the fight and signed Pereira to fight Andreas Michailidis. Cage-side commentator, Joe Rogan, made sure the casuals were aware who was stepping into the Octagon at UFC 268, qualifying him as one of the most feared strikers in kickboxing. Pereira proved Rogan's point, winning by flying knee KO/TKO at the beginning of the second round.
Pereira's sophomore outing against Bruno Silva was not nearly as exciting, but was a unanimous 30-27 scorecard for Pereira. The action resumed at UFC 276 when Pereira defeated Strickland by KO/TKO in the first round, which was only the second KO/TKO loss of Strickland's career.
At last, the stage was set for a title fight between Adesanya and his old kickboxing nemesis. The matchup was scheduled for UFC 281 at the iconic Madison Square Garden, where some of history's greatest fights have taken place.
On paper, the fight was relatively even through the first four rounds. It was much clearer to those watching the fight that Adesanya was winning most of the exchanges and was using true ring generalship en route to a career-defining victory.
Pereira looked tired in between the fourth and fifth rounds. Not so much a physical exhaustion, but more of an overall dismay that Adesanya had been so effective to that point. Pereira's corner team intimated that he needed a finish if he wanted the win.
Pereira clearly took the message to heart as he pressed forward early in the fifth round and invested in several body shots. At least three straight right hands found the mark for Pereira in the next minute or so, which set up a left hook that Adesanya could not see coming.
Pereira was a sniper with the rest of his strikes, causing Adesanya to stumble to a knee trying to escape the flurry of strikes. Adesanya was doing the best he could to avoid the fight ending, but Pereira continued to land at will and Adesanya was intelligently defending himself.
It was a finish that shocked the entire combat sports world. Adesanya would exercise his immediate rematch clause, which would take place at UFC 287 almost five months later. The rematch looked to be taking the fast lane to a repeat performance when Pereira landed a strike late in the second round that seemed to put Adesanya against the cage. Fans watching around the world would soon find out it was all a facade, straight from the 1992 film Gladiator, as Adesanya came to life to land a combination that knocked Pereira out cold.
The circumstance of Pereira being the worst UFC middleweight champion is not his doing in all reality and has nothing to do with his skills as a fighter. It is a byproduct of the UFC valuing the hype of the Adesanya fights over Pereira's career and longevity. It was a position he was put in before he was truly ready. Despite Pereira's extensive kickboxing accolades, MMA is not strictly kickboxing, and Pereira was still new in his MMA career.
Pereira has since moved up to light heavyweight, which is more suited to his natural build. His first fight in the division was against former champion, Jan Blachowicz, which Pereira won by a somewhat controversial split decision.
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