Israel Adesanya is still the UFC middleweight champion.
Adesanya defeated challenger Jared Cannonier by unanimous decision on Saturday at UFC 276 in Las Vegas.
Adesanya took the cards 49-46, 49-46, 50-45.
“They had an excellent gameplan,” Adesanya said about Cannonier’s team. “It was really hard to get my follow-ups going.”
Adesanya improves to 12-0 in the middleweight division, second-longest streak in UFC behind Anderson Silva (13-0).
Adesanya called out who he wants to fight next: Alex Pereira, who owns two wins over Adesanya in kickboxing. Pereira also fought – and won – on the undercard Saturday night. Pereira was in the arena for Adesanya’s pronouncement.
“The first time I told you it was an error on my part spamming the right hand,” Adesanya said to Pereira. “That was in kickboxing. … Next time I punch you, you’ll be on skates and you’re gonna be frozen like Elsa. I’ll leave it at that.”
In the co-main event, Alexander Volkanovski battered Max Holloway in their five-round featherweight title fight and won by unanimous decision.
Volkanovski took the cards 50-45 across the board.
Volkanovski landed 199 signature strikes, opening up cuts to Holloway’s face by fight’s end.
–Field Level Media
