UFC mild heavyweight contender Alex Pereira feels his long-time rival Israel Adesanya’s deliberate break from preventing shall be short-lived.
Pereira will face former UFC mild heavyweight champion Jiří Procházka for the vacant mild heavyweight belt this Saturday at UFC 295. He earned the sunshine heavyweight title shot after outpointing Jan Blachowicz in his final combat at UFC 291.
Earlier than his latest mild heavyweight success, the start of Pereira’s UFC profession occurred within the middleweight division. This included a middleweight title win over Adesanya at UFC 281, and a vicious knockout of present champ Sean Strickland at UFC 276.
Adesanya suffered one of many largest upset losses in UFC historical past when he misplaced the middleweight belt to Strickland at UFC 293. After the loss, he is teased an extended break from competitors with an unsure timeline for a return.
Pereira, who has confronted Adesanya a complete of 5 occasions throughout a number of disciplines, feels Adesanya’s thirst for competitors shall be reignited quickly.
Alex Pereira Dismisses Israel Adesanya’s Deliberate UFC Hiatus
Picture: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Throughout a latest interview with MMA Combating, Pereira weighed in on Adesanya’s plans for an extended break.
“I don’t assume that’s true, he received’t keep [out] that lengthy,” Pereira mentioned. “And that’s not good for him, to not combat for that lengthy. He’ll give different interviews quickly and get motivated once more. I believe he wants a bit extra motivation. If he finds one thing that motivates him, I believe he comes again shortly. When he finds that motivation, he comes again before that.”
Pereira then defined why instantly making an attempt to run it again with Strickland would not be a good suggestion.
“Adesanya must change just a few issues to do higher there,” Pereira mentioned. “If he comes again the identical method it will likely be like if that they had continued that combat, one other 5 rounds.
“He must make some changes — and perhaps he can change, but it surely’s a tough recreation for him. He does that recreation his total life, and it’s very tough to vary that in a single camp.”
Adesanya’s middleweight absence takes place amidst a slew of recent contenders on the prime of the division. This consists of the surging Dricus du Plessis, who shall be Strickland’s first title protection at UFC 297 in January.
Khamzat Chimaev and Paulo Costa additionally sit atop the middleweight title image. Adesanya would possibly go for a tune-up combat when he ultimately returns, doubtlessly towards both Chimaev or Costa.
Adesanya’s feedback a few lengthy break have annoyed his followers, however Pereira thinks it’s going to be a shorter hiatus than most count on.
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All quotes from MMA Fighting
