Alex Pereira, the former middleweight champion and current light heavyweight titleholder, shares a storied rivalry with Israel Adesanya in the UFC. Their feud dates back to their kickboxing days in Glory, where they faced off. However, this epic rivalry now seems close to being resolved, with fans potentially witnessing Adesanya and Pereira training together in the future.
Fans recently saw Israel Adesanya train with his former rival Robert Whittaker and even collaborate on a YouTube video. In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, the former middleweight champion revealed that despite their rivalry, he has always praised Alex Pereira.
“Eventually, but right now it’s not that time. …We still have guys like Carlos Ulberg in the trenches, getting ready for his next fight so he can become a No. 1 contender,” Adesanya said while addressing the possibility of training with Pereira.
Israel Adesanya would absolutely train with AlexPereira in the future:
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) January 24, 2025
"Eventually, but right now it’s not that time. …We still have guys like Carlos Ulberg in the trenches, getting ready for his next fight so he can become a No. 1 contender."
(🎥 @DamonMartin) pic.twitter.com/lN7kjc2mOR
Adesanya’s recent comments have certainly sparked hope among fans for a potential collaboration with Alex Pereira. However, their intense rivalry remains a hot topic of discussion among MMA enthusiasts.
Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya: Head-to-Head
The rivalry between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya goes beyond their kickboxing days in Glory, where they faced off twice. Pereira won their first fight at Glory of Heroes 1 in 2016 via unanimous decision and secured a second victory at Glory of Heroes 7 in 2017 with a third-round knockout.
Their feud carried over to the UFC, beginning at UFC 281, where Pereira defeated Adesanya via fifth-round TKO to claim the middleweight title. Adesanya evened the score at UFC 287, reclaiming his title with a knockout victory.
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Pereira leads their rivalry 3-1, with two kickboxing wins and one MMA victory. After Adesanya lost the belt to Sean Strickland in 2023 and later fell to Dricus Du Plessis, he now needs 1-2 more wins to earn another title shot.
Also Read: Israel Adesanya Reveals P. Diddy “Hit Him Up” After His Stunning Knockout Of Alex Pereira
