As the main event for UFC 281 concluded, fans had a heavy heart as Israel Adesanya lost the bout. Now standing with three wins and zero losses against Adesanya, Alex Pereira once again proved his superiority. However, when Dana White was asked for his opinion, his concern and respect for Adesanya was immeasurable.
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Although the ‘Stylebender’ lost the bout, he still holds the respect of the UFC president. During the post-fight press conference, White revealed his thoughts about the Nigerian fighter.
Dana White was concerned about the ‘Stylebender’
During the post-fight press conference, a reporter questioned Dana White regarding his opinion about the stoppage in the main event. He asked White whether the president was okay with it.
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ATLANTA, GA – APRIL 13: (L-R) UFC President Dana White places the interim middleweight championship belt on Israel Adesanya after defeating Kelvin Gastelum by unanimous decision in their interim middleweight championship bout during the UFC 236 event at State Farm Arena on April 13, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
White replied, “Yeah, I didn’t have a problem with the stoppage. I don’t know. I mean, he was hurt. He obviously wasn’t out, but he seemed- he seemed pretty hurt to me.” He revealed that his only concern was that Israel Adesanya looked really hurt. White’s admiration for the fighter’s bravery and enthusiasm splashed before the cameras.
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Dana White praised Israel Adesanya
Although White admitted that he had not met Adesanya after the announcement of the results, all he had was praise for the fighter. Furthermore, the reporter asked about White’s opinion on the fourth match between Adesanya and Pereira. White replied, “First of all, I was saying this week and it’s the absolute truth. Israel Adesanya didn’t even flinch about taking this fight. He likes to fight all the time, he took this fight… He wanted this fight.”
Furthermore, he added, “That guy is an absolute stud. Always wants to stay active and you know, fight that most guys would stall, give me more time, give me this, that, he dove right into this fight. His only loss was when he tried to move up in weight, to the 205. So, you gotta respect him as a champion.“
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NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 5: Alex Pereira steps on the scale during the official weigh-in for UFC 268 on November 5, 2021, at Hilton Midtown in New York, NY. (Photo by Louis Grasse/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Alex Pereira once again defeated the ‘Stylebender’ and this time, with a technical knockout in the final round. Adesanya’s defeat stunned the audience. Although he dominated in the first couple of rounds, he couldn’t last in the final round. Nonetheless, Pereira proved himself to be the better fighter. Adesanya’s rule over the UFC middleweight title has officially ended, with Pereira as the new king.
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What were your thoughts while watching the fight between the two fighters? Let us know in the comments down below.
