The UFC has seen some legendary rivalries, like McGregor vs. Khabib and Jones vs. Cormier, but another intense and long-standing feud that stands out is between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira. Their rivalry began in their kickboxing days, with Pereira consistently proving to be a major obstacle for Adesanya. Every time they met in the ring or octagon, Adesanya faced significant challenges against his rival, making this one of the most entertaining rivalries for fans.
Izzy and Alex Pereira have a long combat sports history. They have faced each other four times. Pereira dominated their early encounters, winning three of their first three meetings.
Their first fight occurred at Glory of Heroes 1 in kickboxing, where Pereira handed Adesanya his first loss, winning by unanimous decision. Their rematch at Glory of Heroes 7 saw Pereira deliver a devastating left hook knockout in the third round.
Upon transitioning to the UFC, they met again at UFC 281, where Pereira defeated Adesanya via technical knockout in the fifth round, claiming the middleweight title.
However, Adesanya redeemed himself in their fourth encounter at UFC 287: Pereira vs. Adesanya 2. ‘Izzy’ defeated Pereira via knockout on April 8, 2023, to become the UFC middleweight champion for the second time.
Alex Pereira Excited to Train with Former Rival Israel Adesanya
As Adesanya prepares for his title bout at UFC 305, his former rival Alex Pereira has shown his support for his championship bid. In a video on his official YouTube channel, Pereira mentioned that he wishes for Adesanya to win the title.
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Pereira said, “I hope (Israel Adesanya) wins because he has a beautiful story. I’m here; I’m supporting him. I already fought him, and I am not going to say he should lose. I’m not mad at him, no grudges. Like I said, if one day it’s possible to train with him, exchanging knowledge.”
Pereira has indicated that he holds no grudges and is eager to train with Adesanya. However, Adesanya has not yet addressed the possibility of training with Pereira. Whether ‘Izzy’ will train with ‘Poatan’ in the future remains to be seen.
Also Read: Dana White Goes Off On Jake Paul For Calling Out Alex Pereira- “Calls People Out For Attention”
