Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira, longtime adversaries, both took to social media to share videos showcasing their unexpected encounter at an Australian airport.
Adesanya uploaded a video where he could be observed patiently waiting in a queue alongside Alexander Volkanovski, the UFC featherweight champion.
How many times did Israel Adesanya lose to Alex Pereira?
Alex Pereira had emerged victorious over Israel on three occasions. Triumphing twice in kickboxing matches and securing two knockouts.
However, on a Saturday night, Adesanya managed to turn the tables and finally rid himself of the burden.
In their previous encounter at UFC 281 in November, held at Madison Square Garden, Israel delivered a decisive fifth-round TKO to Alex, claiming the championship title.
Pereira had previously defeated Adesanya twice in kickboxing, with the most recent victory being a knockout in 2017.
Remarkably, Alex stands as the sole individual to have ever knocked Israel out.
Who won Pereira vs Adesanya 3?
In the main event of UFC 287 held at Kaseya Center, Adesanya showcased his dominance by delivering a series of devastating right-hand blows.
Resulting in a knockout victory over Pereira at 4 minutes and 21 seconds into the second round.
With this emphatic win, Israel reclaimed the prestigious UFC middleweight championship. This achievement marked a significant milestone in UFC history. As Adesanya became the first-ever two-time middleweight champion.
Furthermore, he joined the ranks of only four out of fifteen fighters who have successfully regained their titles in an immediate rematch. The triumph was a testament to Israel’s skill and resilience in the octagon.
Israel Adesanya’s reaction
To everyone’s surprise, Alex appeared at the end of the line, flexing his muscles. In response, ‘Stylebender’ sarcastically shook his head.
The footage was shared on Adesanya’s official Twitter account.
💘💘💘❤️🔥
My life is a video game 🎮 pic.twitter.com/MoIdUniTJv— Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) May 29, 2023
Alex, too, shared a video featuring him standing right beside Israel at the airport. The two engaged in a friendly interaction, even exchanging a fist bump as a greeting.
The video found its way onto Pereira’s official Twitter page, accompanied by the caption:
“Can you guess who I unexpectedly bumped into at the airport?”
Fans swiftly took to social media to express their reactions. One user, @anotherMMA_fan, shared a GIF featuring iconic anime characters Goku and Vegeta.
Me, watching Alex watch Izzy and realizing there is still orange chicken: pic.twitter.com/M7B2tjAv46
— Boogerbeard (@Boogerbeard1) May 29, 2023
While Israel has yet to unveil his next opponent, Alex has made a significant announcement of moving up to the 205 lbs weight class.
In his debut in the light heavyweight division, Pereira is set to face former champion Jan Blachowicz.
If Alex achieves success in the light heavyweight division, the possibility of an Israel trilogy fight becomes more plausible.
However, Pereira must first overcome the formidable challenge of Jan Blachowicz.
The highly anticipated clash between the two fighters is scheduled for UFC 291, slated to take place in Salt Lake City on July 29.
What are your thoughts regarding this? Let us know in the comment section below.
