Brazil's Pereira beats Nigerian-born New Zealander Adesanya, wins UFC middleweight title at MSG

Brazil's Alex Pereira, left, kicks Nigeria's Israel Adesanya during the first round of a middleweight bout at the UFC 281 mixed martial arts event early Sunday, Nov. 13, 2022, in New York. Pereira stopped Adesanya in the fifth round. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Alex Pereira has Israel Adesanya's number in any combat sport -- make it 3-0, and now the Brazilian knockout artist also has his rival's UFC middleweight championship.

Pereira fought back out from a slow start and rocked Adesanya in the fifth round to score the TKO win and claim the 185-pound championship in the main event of UFC 281 on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden.