WATCH: Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira bury hatchet in incredible moment of respect at UFC 287 backstage

Israel Adesanya finally got his revenge on rival Alex Pereira at UFC 287 and reclaimed the UFC middleweight championship. In the words of 'The Last Stylebender', this was perhaps one of the happiest moments of his life.

The rivalry between the two combatants has lasted over seven years and spanned two sports. Going into UFC 287, 'Poatan' had defeated Adesanya thrice already (twice in kickboxing, once in MMA). He dethroned Adesanya at UFC 281 and took over as the champion of the middleweight division.

Israel Adesanya approached the fight with a fresh perspective as "the hunter" and claimed all throughout fight week that all he needs is one victory over the Brazilian to get even. Adesanya did just that, weathering an onslaught from Pereira and rocking the Brazilian with a straight right hand in the second round. 'The Last Stylebender' followed up with one seminal blow that put Periera out like a light.

A rivalry forged in battle frequently blossoms into lifelong admiration. The intensity of the rivalry can bring people together and foster a mutual respect for each other's skills and accomplishments.

In their pursuit of excellence, opponents may come to appreciate each other's strengths and weaknesses and develop a strong sense of camaraderie. Such was the case when Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira crossed paths backstage at UFC 287.

Adesanya thanked Pereira for bringing out the best in him. He even claimed that he wants to visit Brazil again and spend some time with 'Poatan'. The 33-year-old hailed Pereira as a true champion in what was a beautiful display of mutual respect.

Check out the video below:

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Will there be a third fight between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira following UFC 287? Dana White answers

After several unsuccessful attempts, Israel Adesanya was finally able to exact revenge on Alex Pereira.

UFC 287 marked the second MMA encounter in what is now a four-fight series between the rivals. Pereira entered the fight having a perfect 3-0 record against Adesanya.

Pereira continued to pressure 'The Last Stylebender' when he was against the cage. He took two right hands from Adesanya clean that knocked him out. The Nigerian-Kiwi followed up with a huge hammerfist before referee Dan Miragliotta jumped in to save a stunned Pereira.

Speaking about whether there will be a third fight between the two fighters at the post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White stated:

“Honestly, I think Pereira moves to 205 [pounds] after this fight. He’s a monster. I know that he still had like two pounds to cut, and there was an hour left of the weigh-ins. So yeah, I’m not saying he’s moving to 205 [pounds] , but I’m assuming he is... You can ask him. It wouldn’t surprise me.”

Catch White's comments below: