And new!
Israel Adesanya has avenged his defeat to Alex Pereira with an incredible second-round knockout to regain his middleweight crown at UFC 287 in Miami on Sunday (NZ time).
With Pereira sniffing an opening, the Brazilian pressed forward, only to be greeted by a pair of searing overhand rights that landed right on the button to send him prone to the canvas with his lights shut completely, making 'The Last Stylebender' a two-time world champion.
After three defeats in as many prior fights against 'Poatan' - two of which were under the Glory Kickboxing banner - the result exorcised some lingering demons for the Kiwi-Nigerian while reestablishing his standing as the sport's preeminent striker and one of the best to ever grace an Octagon.
His entrance to the Octagon said it all, striding in purposefully and screaming motivational phrases to himself, showing an uncharacteristic amount of pre-fight energy.
And when Pereira hit the canvas, Adesanya stepped back and unleashed a trio of arrows - mocking his opponent's pre-fight trademark.
Given the circumstances and the manner of victory, this was Adesanya's finest moment - one which will be replayed for years to come as definitive proof of his greatness.
The opening round was a razor-close affair. Pereira seemed intent to mirror his strategy form their first fight, throwing an array of leg kicks and attacking Adesanya's calf, while the Kiwi-Nigerian had some success with his counters, particularly with his body kicks.
Pereira came out with more aggression in the second round, pressing forward with a couple of blitzes that Adesanya was game to, responding with some crisp counter shots.
After eating a left hand in close quarters, Adesanya began to back up towards the cage and Pereira sensed a moment of weakness to make his move, launching forward with a kick punctuated by a flying knee that brought the crowd to its feet.
With his opponent covering up with a faint hint of 'rope a dope' - Pereira advanced somewhat recklessly chasing a fight-ending blow, and Adesanya unleashed two laser right-hand strikes to send him toppling to the canvas unconscious, following up with a hammer fist that was merely academic.
Having arguably won the majority of the minutes through all three of their prior fights, despite never having his hand raised, there was a significant mental hurdle in front of Adesanya and he cleared it in his own inimitable style.
Taking to the microphone for his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Adesanya let his emotions fly.
"They say revenge is sweet and if you know me, I've got a sweet tooth,” Adesanya said afterwards.
"I'm telling you, no matter what, Alex is a great champion. He lost the belt tonight but he will always be the champion.
"I told you, the hunter is now the hunted. Beating me, he made me a better fighter, a better person. In this camp, I didn’t f*** around. That last one had everything. Since 2017, that last hammer fist was from the gods."
The result lifts Adesanya's overall record to 24-2, handing fellow kickboxing convert Pereira the first defeat of his young MMA career.
With the ledger now locked at one win apiece inside an Octagon and no other clear contender, all roads seemed destined for a trilogy bout.
History proves fighters often need a genuine rival to truly cement their legacy, and in Pereira, Adesanya has truly found his.
