Canadian musician Drake won $2.7 million after Israel Adesanya defeated Alex Pereira by knockout at UFC 287 to reclaim the middleweight championship, the Mirror reports.
The New Zealander, of Nigerian descent, regained the 185-pound title barely five months after losing it to Pereira, a fierce opponent who has twice defeated him in kickboxing.
After betting $1.6 million on Adesanya to win that bout, Drake lost the bet, but in his rematch with Pereira, he made up for it. Adesanya won a $500,000 wager, and “Drizzy Drake” won $885,000. He also staked $400,000 on Adesanya to win via knockout, which paid a staggering $1.8 million.
After their fight, ‘Stylebender’ was questioned about Drake’s wager and responded: “Shoutout to everyone who bet on me, but please understand that when I enter the octagon, I take my life into my own hands. The largest parlay you can ever do is that one. We are set to close another trade and receive additional money, so cry out to stake because I’m a betting man too.”
Adesanya gets ‘sweet revenge
In UFC 287 in Miami, Israel Adesanya successfully defended his middleweight title from Alex Pereira.
He defeated the Brazilian in the second round to avenge his solitary loss in the UFC at middleweight, pulling off a spectacular knockout victory against Alex Pereira to reclaim the title at UFC 287 in Miami.
Adesanya desired a speedy rematch after losing to Pereira in November, which cost him the 185-pound (84 kg) championship crown he had held since 2019.
Adesanya knocked out middleweight champion Pereira at UFC 287 at the Kaseya Centre late on Saturday. He then lifted his hands in celebration as he reclaimed the middleweight title belt and solidified his reputation as one of the best combatants in the sport’s history.
Adesanya said, ” I hope that every person in this room or behind the screen can experience this degree of joy only once in their lives. Nevertheless, if you don’t try, you’ll never experience this degree of enjoyment.”
After a cagey first frame in which Pereira viciously kicked Adesanya’s lead leg, the bout exploded into life in the second as both fighters landed head kicks early, and Adesanya’s precise boxing started to pay off.
In the second round, Pereira (7-2) delivered a knee that forced Adesanya (24-2) into the cage. At 4:21, Adesanya finished the bout by coming off the cage with two right hooks, a right hammer fist, and ground and pound.
Adesanya, 33, had never lost against the 35-year-old Pereira. Pereira twice kickboxed Adesanya before he won through TKO for the welterweight title at UFC 281 in November.
