Israel Adesanya’s recent victory over Alex Pereira at UFC 287 marked a significant moment of comeback for him. Pereira had previously held a 3-0 record against Adesanya in combat sports, defeating him twice in kickboxing and once in MMA.
Despite the initial setbacks, Adesanya silenced the doubters in his recent match against Pereira. He secured a knockout win over Pereira in the second round, reasserting his dominance in the middleweight division.
Adesanya’s remarkable achievement did not go unnoticed by his home country, Nigeria. He received a letter of recognition from the High Commissioner for Nigeria, Ambassador Anderson N. Madubike.
The letter was dated April 12th and it expressed heartfelt congratulations to Adesanya for his outstanding achievement in regaining the UFC middleweight title. The letter further acknowledged Adesanya’s role as a role model and a shining light for aspiring young Nigerians.
It read:
“Dear Israel,
On behalf of the Government and the people of Nigeria, my family, and staff of the mission, I have the honor to congratulate you on your remarkable achievement on Sunday, 9th April 2023 to regain the UFC middleweight title. It was an amazing achievement befitting the Nigerian spirit and your incredible attitude of never giving up.
I note with pride that you entered the UFC in 2018 and won the middleweight belt just a year later and you have also successfully defended the title five times to become one of the sport’s key personalities. You have therefore distinguished yourself as a role model and a shining light for many aspiring young Nigerians through this outstanding achievement which will be imprinted in the sand of history. I am therefore very positive that you will use this unique accomplishment as a catalyst for greater achievements in your service to humanity.
While congratulating you again on this feat, please accept the assurances of my highest consideration and best wishes.”
Adesanya proudly shared the letter on his social media.
Adesanya’s receipt of national recognition from the Nigerian government adds to his growing list of accolades and further solidifies his status as a top-tier athlete.
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