Issue 226

February 2026

You could argue that this is one of the most important KOs in Israel’s career. Maybe in all of MMA. It came on April 9, 2023, at UFC 287, Israel Adesanya, where he finally deleted the final boss. For years, Alex Pereira had been the recurring pop-up ad in Adesanya’s combat browser. Kickboxing losses. A UFC title loss. In Miami, it looked like the same script. Pereira stalking. Calf gettinA.g chewed. Body shots thudding. Adesanya backed to the cage like a man about to relive trauma. Instead, he set a trap. Two right hands later, Pereira went from apex predator to museum exhibit. It remains the only time Pereira has been knocked out in the UFC. In 2026, that feels almost fictional. Watching him now dismantle bigger men at light heavyweight, you’d swear his chin came with a lifetime warranty. And here’s why it matters now. On March 29, Adesanya returns against Joe Pyfer. Different threat. Different storyline. No history books attached. But every time he walks to the cage, this image walks with him. And if you’re not careful, he’ll lean on the fence, smile, and turn you into a highlight. The bow wasn’t just a celebration. It was a warning to all others of what he can do.