Israel Adesanya Sparks Bitter-Sweet Rivalry With Alex Pereira Yet Again With Iconic Post-KO Celebration as UFC Champ Acknowledges David Onama’s Tribute

Featherweight fighter David Onama earned himself a tremendous victory at UFC Jacksonville. He battled Gabriel Santos and knocked him out in the second round of their fight. The Ugandan fighter signed off his win by replicating the UFC 287 victory celebration of Israel Adesanya. ‘The Last Stylebender’ took to social media to react to Onama’s win.

David Onama had a record of two wins and two losses before coming into his fight against Gabriel Santos. Even ‘Mosquitinho’ came into this fight without registering a victory in the UFC. It was essential for both fighters to grab a victory at Jacksonville. However, nobody expected the ending of the fight.

Israel Adesanya reacts to David Onama copying his celebration

UFC on ABC 5 saw a packed crowd as Onama and Santos stepped inside the Octagon. ‘Silent Assassin’ found himself in trouble early on in the fight, as the Brazilian started off the first round with some great strikes and put Onama on the back foot. Moreover, both fighters took the battle to the ground. The round came to an end as both fighters struggled to get into a dominant position while on the ground.

The Ugandan fighter seemingly found himself in trouble again after Gabriel Santos rocked Onama with a spinning back fist. ‘Mosquitinho’ further showcased his grappling prowess, taking Onama to the ground again. However, the twist in the fight came after ‘Silent Assassin’ landed a beautiful combo to finish off his opponent with a knockout.

Onama was elated to have won the fight and celebrated by replicating Israel Adesanya’s “archer” celebration from UFC 287 after the latter defeated Alex Pereira. ‘The Last Stylebender’ acknowledged the celebration and shared Onama’s post as a story on Instagram with a few heart emojis. The Ugandan fighter captioned his post, “Inspired by [Israel Adesanya].”

Onama is not in a rush

During his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, David Onama claimed that he’s not in a rush. He’s only going to get better after his performance at Jacksonville. He said, “[I’ll] just go back to the gym on Monday and just keep working. I have a long way to go.” Considering his mixed record of two wins and two losses in the UFC, ‘Silent Assassin’ understands that he needs to improve more.

Onama said, “I am gonna stay patient, wait for my time, and just get better and keep shining.” The Ugandan fighter is yet to get ranked in the division, but his knockout win stood out in the event with a packed crowd in attendance.

READ MORE: “To the Grave” – Kamaru Usman & Fans React to Cold-Blooded KO and Then Israel Adesanya Celebration at UFC Jacksonville by David Onama

Onama is not the first fighter to have been inspired by Israel Adesanya. During an interview a couple of months ago, former UFC fighter Luke Rockhold mentioned that the Nigerian-born Kiwi fighter’s UFC 287 win even inspired him and called him a “f***ing gangster.” It seems like Adesanya has garnered a lot of respect from fellow UFC fighters after overcoming the toughest opponent in his career.

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