Israel Adesanya responds to fan criticism accusing him of ‘over-celebrating’ Alex Pereira KO at UFC 287

Despite UFC 287 going down nearly two weeks ago now, the fallout from Israel Adesanya’s middleweight title victory over Alex Pereira is still ongoing.

Adesanya knocked Pereira out in the second round of their bout, which was a rematch of their previous fight last November that saw ‘Poatan’ win via fifth-round KO. With Pereira out cold, ‘The Last Stylebender’ then celebrated wildly, pretending to fire three arrows into his fallen foe.

BroBible

@BroBible

Israel Adesanya did Pereira’s arrow celebration after knocking him out #ufc287

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Israel Adesanya did Pereira’s arrow celebration after knocking him out #ufc287 https://t.co/FiEenfMCDh

He then rubbed salt into the wounds by pointing at Pereira’s son, who was at cageside, and mocking his father hitting the canvas.

Squid Vicious MMA

@SquidViciousMMA

@MMAFighting Classic moment in MMA history

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@MMAFighting Classic moment in MMA history https://t.co/RiKRPNSka0

Unsurprisingly, it didn’t take long for Adesanya to come under fire from some fans, who accused the New Zealand-based fighter of over-celebrating his win. Some even went as far as claiming ‘The Last Stylebender’ was unlikeable.

giantblackmamba

@GoatDefence

@BroBible I’m happy for him but gets celebrations just don’t sit right with me, have some decorum.

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@BroBible I’m happy for him but gets celebrations just don’t sit right with me, have some decorum.

ZUBÆR

@zubir31220392

@BroBible Ezzy should know he's still 3-1. That celebration may haunt him later.

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@BroBible Ezzy should know he's still 3-1. That celebration may haunt him later.

Lucas/ poatan send Hill and Jiri to shadow realm

@thineshame

@MMAFighting no need for explanation,just average adesanya behavior,he acts like a teenager

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@MMAFighting no need for explanation,just average adesanya behavior,he acts like a teenager

♤𝗔𝗟𝗧𝗦𝗦𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗡♤

@Altssassin

@MMAFighting It is simply impossible for mature fans to like Adesanya. He brings being unlikable to a whole new level.

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@MMAFighting It is simply impossible for mature fans to like Adesanya. He brings being unlikable to a whole new level.

Now, though, Israel Adesanya has hit back at those critics. The middleweight champion took to Twitter to lash out, essentially accusing some of those criticizing him of being “bots.”

“Imagine thinking someone is 'over celebrating.' Bots...bots everywhere.”

Israel Adesanya

@stylebender

Imagine thinking someone is “over celebrating.” Bots…bots everywhere.

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Imagine thinking someone is “over celebrating.” Bots…bots everywhere.

Remarkably, it didn’t take long for the fans to continue to criticize Adesanya, this time by responding to his own tweet.

Christopher Wayne Joseph ⚡

@Chris_w_joseph

@stylebender You are kind of over celebrating it my dude, but that's ok.

Please don't take my head off.

Namaste.

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@stylebender You are kind of over celebrating it my dude, but that's ok.

Please don't take my head off.

Namaste.

Lakshjeet S. Mann

@lakshjeet_mann

@stylebender Alex is out there having a good time with family despite loosing and you still can’t get over it?

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@stylebender Alex is out there having a good time with family despite loosing and you still can’t get over it? 😭 https://t.co/8SDf5gpRAc

Some fans, though, jumped to his defense. They aregued that after such a huge win, ‘The Last Stylebender’ probably had the right to celebrate wildly.

Optic1x_

@Fivo1x

@stylebender Y’all telling me if you lost 3 championship in your favorite sport and then come back and win dominantly you wouldn’t be estatic? Hypothetically

@stylebender Y’all telling me if you lost 3 championship in your favorite sport and then come back and win dominantly you wouldn’t be estatic? Hypothetically

Let The People Think

@dah_afrika

@stylebender Celebrate for the rest of your life if you want! It's your damn accomplishment !🏾🏾

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@stylebender Celebrate for the rest of your life if you want! It's your damn accomplishment !👊🏾👊🏾

Mizell Allen

@mizellallen13

@stylebender You literally took down the biggest obstacle in your career for the first time ever. Fuck it my guy celebrate more!

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@stylebender You literally took down the biggest obstacle in your career for the first time ever. Fuck it my guy celebrate more!

While Dana White has already poured cold water on the idea of a UFC trilogy bout between Adesanya and Pereira – with ‘Poatan’ announcing a move to 205 pounds – it seems clear from this that their rivalry isn’t quite over yet.

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Has Israel Adesanya been accused of over-celebrating before?

UFC 287 wasn’t the first time Israel Adesanya was accused of celebrating in a disrespectful manner following a victory in the octagon.

Back in September 2020, ‘The Last Stylebender’ defended his middleweight title for the second time by knocking out top contender Paulo Costa.

The two fighters had a heated rivalry coming into the bout and had talked plenty of trash. However, many fans were still stunned when Adesanya celebrated by dry-humping his fallen opponent as he was rescued by the referee.

MMA Mania

@mmamania

Adesanya humps Costa after the TKO finish #UFC253

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Adesanya humps Costa after the TKO finish #UFC253

https://t.co/vCDbuNdQRl

One fan accused Adesanya of being tasteless, while another labeled him “disgraceful.”

Mohamed Khabir

@Mohamedkhabir

Yeah never been a fan of Adesanya's pre and post fight antics but that dry hump on Costa takes the cake.

Disrespectful and tasteless.

#ufc253

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Yeah never been a fan of Adesanya's pre and post fight antics but that dry hump on Costa takes the cake.

Disrespectful and tasteless.

#ufc253

Mephisto

@Mephist19450088

@UFC_Obsessed He didn't try to pressure. Costa got into his own head trying to be patient. He should have been Costa instead. Adesanya's fight style is something right in my wheelhouse, but it is disgraceful to hump a downed opponent. His 12 yr old attitude is too much.

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@UFC_Obsessed He didn't try to pressure. Costa got into his own head trying to be patient. He should have been Costa instead. Adesanya's fight style is something right in my wheelhouse, but it is disgraceful to hump a downed opponent. His 12 yr old attitude is too much.

Israel Adesanya also mimed “peeing” in the octagon after his UFC debut back in 2018, a moment he explained by stating that he was the “new dog in the yard.”

“I told you guys, I’m the new dog in the yard and I just p*ssed all over the place... I know a dominant dog walks into a dog park and he’s just like...he pees all over the place to mark his territory.”

Catch Adesanya's comments below:

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