Israel Adesanya forgives but doesn't forget in UFC 287

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In his post-fight press conference, Adesanya said the celebration was payback for the way Pereira’s son taunted him in 2017. 

Pereira had knocked Adesanya out in a kickboxing fight in Brazil, and Pereira’s young son mocked Adesanya by pretending to fall lifeless in the ring. Adesanya pointed to Pereira’s son at the conclusion of Saturday’s fight and returned the favor.

Adesanya admitted after the fight that he is “petty.” He also praised Pereira for being a “great champion” but said he wanted to teach the latter’s son a lesson.

“The first time he knocked me out in Brazil, his son came into the ring and then just started to lie dead next to me,” Adesanya explained, via Alexander Lee of MMAFighting.com. “I’m like, ‘You f—ing little a–hole, I’ll whoop your a– if your dad don’t do it for you.’ I looked for his kid, I pointed at him, and I saw him and I was like, ‘Hey, hey, hey,’ just to remind him.”

Adesanya has always been known for the theatrics surrounding his fights, but he outdid himself at UFC 287.