Watch: Sean O’Malley’s priceless reaction to Israel Adesanya’s UFC 287 victory against Alex Pereira
Israel Adesanya delivered a highlight knockout that will be replayed for decades to come against Alex Pereira, triggering a wild reaction from Sean O'Malley as he laid witness to the huge finish.
As UFC 287 edged near, 'The Last Stylebender' approached arguably his most defining moment in combat sports. He went face-to-face with the dangerous Brazilian who had beaten him on three occasions. With the weight of the world on his shoulders, the Nigerian emerged victorious and displayed his greatness.
Following the huge event, Sean O'Malley found it hard to contain his emotions as he watched the vicious ending of the blockbuster clash between titans, Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira.
After mimicking Adesanya's iconic arrow celebration, Sean O'Malley proclaimed the fan-favorite as the greatest middleweight of all time. He and his entourage exploded in joy at the shocking knockout.
'Sugar' holds a good relationship with the newly crowned 185lb king and often has nothing but nice words for the kickboxing phenom, who he remains a fan of due to their passion for striking.
The bantamweight megastar finds himself in a strange situation as he searches for a title shot. Despite being healthy and ready to fight, O'Malley has reportedly been promised a shot at UFC gold next, meaning he will remain sidelined until the championship fight between Aljamain Sterling and Henry Cejudo is resolved.
'Triple C' leapfrogged the division after returning from retirement and has been granted a shot at 'Funk Master's' throne, with the pair set to meet in the octagon on May 6.
Israel Adesanya's next fight: Are there any standout challengers for the champion's throne?
After reclaiming the title, Israel Adesanya outlined his plan to continue his dominance. He insisted that he isn't too interested in matching up against those he has fought before, labeling it 'boring.'
Robert Whittaker is most likely the standout challenger at middleweight that deserves a shot at UFC gold, but given the fact that he has already lost on two occasions to the champion, it puts him in a tough situation.
Adesanya did namecheck Dricus du Plessis as a potential opponent following the South African's comments on him earlier this year. A trilogy bout against Alex Pereira is a possibility, and the surging Khamzat Chimaev has his sights set on a clash for the 185lb title.
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