In an interview with the UFC’s McKenzie Pavacich, Adesanya revealed that he is done with the long-standing rivalry with Pereira. It’s been seven years since the two first faced off in combat sports, and they have been fierce competitors ever since. But after the recent fight, it seems that the mutual respect between them has finally put an end to the rivalry.
Despite rumours that Pereira may move up to the light heavyweight division following his first-ever knockout loss in MMA, Adesanya has made it clear that he is focused on his own career and his middleweight title reign. He is undoubtedly one of the most talented fighters in the UFC and has cemented his place as one of the best in the world.
“It’s done now. We’ve closed it. It’s done. I’m done with this s**t. I don’t want to fight the same guy three times in a row because I probably have less than 20 fights in this game. I’m 33. I can probably go on for as long as I want to, but less than 20 fights I think I have in this game if I’m being honest so I just want to fight new faces and take new heads. That’s what I want to do in this game.”
Israel Adesanya’s victory over Alex Pereira at UFC 287 was a defining moment in his career. After three losses to Pereira across two combat sports, Adesanya was finally able to overcome his rival in emphatic fashion with a second-round knockout.
In a post-fight interview with the UFC’s McKenzie Pavacich, Adesanya shared his thoughts on what the victory meant for his legacy. He explained that this win was not just about defeating Pereira, but about showing the world what he is capable of and cementing his place as one of the best fighters in the world.
Adesanya spoke about the pressure he felt leading up to the fight, knowing that this was a chance to prove himself and silence his critics. He revealed that he had been working tirelessly in training camp and that the victory was the result of all the hard work paying off.
But beyond the immediate satisfaction of winning the fight, Adesanya believes that this victory will be remembered as a defining moment in his legacy. He explained that overcoming Pereira was a significant accomplishment, especially given their history and the fact that Pereira had previously knocked him out.
For Adesanya, this victory was about proving that he can overcome adversity and come back stronger from defeat. It was about showing that he has the heart and determination to succeed at the highest level of combat sports. And he believes that this win will be remembered as one of the most important moments in his career.
It just shows, like I said right after the fight, the human spirit. The power of the human mind and the fighting spirit. Like I said at the press conference, I wanted to show my fighting spirit and I meant that in every sense of the word and I felt like I did just that tonight. Believe in yourself. No matter how many times you get knocked down, always get back up. Always get back up and fight for what you want.”
The rivalry between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira has been a long and intense one, with both fighters having their fair share of victories and defeats. Their first encounter in kickboxing in 2016 ended in a controversial decision in Pereira’s favour, while the second fight saw Pereira knockout Adesanya in the first round.
Their most recent meeting at UFC 281 was another intense battle, with Pereira dominating the early rounds and leaving Adesanya down on all three judges’ scorecards entering the final round. However, Adesanya was able to dig deep and showcase his mental toughness, landing a flurry of punches that led to a TKO victory.
At UFC 287, Adesanya was determined to prove himself against his rival once and for all. Despite facing a tough opponent who had previously knocked him out, ‘The Last Stylebender’ was able to stay composed and land a devastating knockout in the second round.
