Sunday Dare, Minister of youth and sports development, has congratulated Israel Adesanya, the Nigerian-born Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) champion, for reclaiming his title.
Gatekeepers News reports that Adesanya knocked out Alex Pereira of Brazil barely a minute into the second round of their fight early on Sunday to win back the belt he lost to the Brazilian last year.
In a statement, the sports minister said Adesanya demonstrated the never-say-die spirit of the average Nigerian to attain a dream.
“You are truly the last style-bender. You have shown that you are a real champion as your positive attitude Nigeria is proud of you,” Dare said.
The minister urged the new UFC champion to continue to be a role model for the youth and an ambassador for the sport of Mixed Martial Arts in Nigeria.