Israel Adesanya Reveals the Reason Why He Will Not Fight Alex Pereira Again: Details Inside
Read to find out why former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya does not want to fight Alex Pereira again.
Former UFC Middleweight champion Israel Adesanya recently appeared in an interview with Ariel Helwani, where he revealed that he will now never face Alex Pereira, his old rival again, despite Pereira calling him out after winning the Light Heavyweight championship at UFC 295.
Israel Adesanya said, "If I beat Alex next, knock him the f*** out, what are they gonna say? 'Okay now it's 3-2'. You know why they're asking for the fight? Because they need it. I don't need it. All the Poatards out there, they know who's laughing best. I did what I did, that saga is over."
The saga between former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and UFC light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira is one of the best stories of this era. Both fighters have faced each other four times in their combat sports careers, twice under kickboxing rules and twice under mixed martial arts rules.
Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya's Rivalry
Alex Pereira had two wins against Israel Adesanya when they both performed for Glory Kickboxing under kickboxing rules. Their paths diverged when Israel transitioned from kickboxing to mixed martial arts and showcased his high-level skills in the UFC, becoming the UFC middleweight champion.
In an interview discussing his combat sports career, Adesanya mentioned Alex Pereira's name and mocked him, saying, "At the end of the day, no one knows who the f*** he is, and he's going to be that guy when I'm world champion, when I'm a legend, he's going to be at some pub talking sh** about, 'I beat that guy one time.'"
Adesanya's infamous interview changed something within Alex Pereira, who then decided to prove him wrong and entered the world of mixed martial arts. The UFC signed Pereira in 2021, and he impressed fans with his striking skills and knockout power.
In 2022, Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya faced each other for the third time, but under mixed martial arts rules. Pereira shocked the world after brutally knocking out Israel to capture the UFC Middleweight championship, finishing Adesanya for the third time in his career.
Adesanya, angry and seeking revenge, faced Pereira again at UFC 287. This time, Adesanya knocked out Pereira cold at the end of round two, securing his first victory against the "Stone Hand."