The conflict between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira can be traced back to their kickboxing era. Throughout their fighting careers, they have squared off against each other on three separate occasions.
Despite this, Pereira has emerged victorious in all three bouts. Nevertheless, Adesanya gained widespread acknowledgment and prominence when he made the move to MMA and captured the UFC middleweight title in 2019.
Anticipation was high for the initial MMA showdown between the two at UFC 281. Israel and Alex are widely recognized as two of the finest strikers in the UFC.
Despite this, in the third round, Pereira landed an unforeseen TKO, becoming the first middleweight fighter to defeat Adesanya in MMA. The outcome stunned many, and now Israel is seeking retribution in their upcoming bout at UFC 287.
Israel Adesanya is surprised to find himself as the favored competitor
Although Pereira has triumphed over Adesanya in their prior bouts, Israel is the favored fighter for their upcoming rematch. Nonetheless, Adesanya has revealed his astonishment at being the preferred contender and has recognized Alex’s destructive knockout capability as a significant danger.
“I am surprised they actually picked me as a favorite because I am the more polished fighter, but he is just the guy that’s got the tools. He’s got that nuke. Only a few fighters in history have got that.”
The response from fans to Adesanya’s remark has been mixed. Several admirers have commended him for his candor and willingness to recognize Pereira’s potential threat.
On the other hand, some have condemned Israel for being outstruck by Alex in their previous encounter.
Adesanya vs Pereira: Old rivalry still continues
Adesanya was the predicted favorite in the main event at UFC 281. In the first round, ‘The Last Stylebender’ controlled the fight and nearly knocked out Alex Pereira.
Nonetheless, Alex staged a recovery in the second round, connecting with some exceptional strikes. Later on, Israel regained control and was awarded the third round by all three judges.
In the fourth round, Pereira demonstrated some extraordinary techniques. Nevertheless, according to the official scorecard, Adesanya still emerged victorious in that round.
However, in the fifth and final round, ‘Poatan’ concluded the fight by unleashing a potent sequence of punches on Israel, resulting in a TKO.
