Israel Adesanya, Champion of the UFC Middleweight division, received a hero reception in his hometown of Auckland, New Zealand, following his triumphant victory over Alex Pereira at UFC 287.
The newly crowned champion was welcomed with great enthusiasm and admiration by the locals, who held a grand ceremony in his honor.
One of the highlights of the event was a traditional Haka dance, which was performed by a group of local fans as a mark of respect for Adesanya’s achievement.
Adesanya, who grew up in New Zealand, was moved by the ceremony, and it is likely that rarely any athletes had ever experienced anything like it before.
The ceremony brought central Auckland to a standstill as locals celebrated their hometown hero’s triumphant return, fresh off his title defence and long-awaited revenge against Pereira.
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