Ahead of his title fight rematch with Alex Pereira, Israel Adesanya has adopted a new mindset. Adesanya, with an impressive record of 23-2 MMA and 12-2 UFC, will be seeking to regain the middleweight championship from the newly crowned ‘Paotan’. The Brazilian currently holds a record of 7-1 MMA and 4-0 UFC.
The two fighters will face off in the UFC 287 main event on April 8 in Miami.
Ahead of the fight, Adesanya has shifted his focus to improving his grappling skills. Putting in hours of rigorous training to ensure he is prepared for any challenge that Pereira may present.
With both fighters determined to emerge victorious, this rematch is set to be an epic clash. With Israel aiming to once again reclaim his championship title and Alex looking to cement his status as the rightful holder of the belt.
What is Israel Adesanya currently aiming for?
Adesanya lost the middleweight title to Pereira via knockout in the very last round of the UFC 281 main event. Alex had previously bested the Kiwi twice in their kickboxing showdowns. When questioned about his approach to the fight, Adesanya confirmed that his mindset has indeed shifted.
“I’m hunting, and I mean that in every sense of the word,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel (h/t MMA Junkie). “The mindset is different, definitely. Even [coach] Eugene [Bareman] and I are on the same page. The mindset is definitely different.
“I like it because it puts it all on me, and it’s kind of poetic in a way,” he concluded. “One life: Roll the dice. This is my last shot, and I’m going to give it all I’ve got in every sense of the word.”
‘The last Stylebender’s first defeat in the 185-pound weight class was against Pereira. Prior to that, he successfully defended his title five times by defeating Robert Whittaker, Jared Cannonier, Paulo Costa, and Yoel Romero.
Adesanya’s only other loss occurred in March 2021 when he tried to become a dual-champion by challenging the then-light heavyweight champion, Jan Blachowicz.
