Regardless of their lengthy and storied rivalry, Alex Pereira can be glad to coach with Israel Adesanya.
The feud between ‘Poatan’ and ‘The Final Stylebender’ stretches far past their time contained in the Octagon. First assembly beneath the GLORY Kickboxing banner, Pereira scored back-to-back wins over the two-time middleweight champion, together with a brutal third-round KO at Glory of Heroes 15 in March 2017.
Adesanya promptly moved on to MMA, incomes a few first-round finishes on the Australian regional scene earlier than making his UFC debut in 2018. Pereria would observe in his former foes’ footsteps, making his first Octagon look three years later.
Beneath the UFC banner, Pereira and Adesanya engaged in a memorable rivalry, splitting highlight-reel knockouts of their two conferences, although it was the ‘Stylebender’ who had the final giggle.
With Pereira sitting atop the sunshine heavyweight throne and Adesanya eyeing a long-awaited conflict with reigning middleweight king Dricus Du Plessis, their historic collection seems to be over. Talking with Ariel Helwani on Wednesday’s episode of The MMA Hour, ‘Poatan’ appeared again on his time competing with Adesanya and even opened the door to the 2 fighters probably work with each other within the fitness center.
“Something can occur, however at this level, I feel that it’s over even to some extent that we might each prepare collectively if it comes right down to that,” Pereira stated by a translator. “If that ever occurs, Israel is a really skilled man. I’m a really skilled man. We now have related kinds of high-level hanging, however we’ve totally different points of the sport that one might add to the opposite. But when it comes right down to us preventing, it is going to be good, but it surely’s not one thing I’m holding onto anymore.”
He added, “I don’t really feel like we’ll combat once more. If I by some means felt that we had been going to combat once more, then no. But when I could possibly be completely positive that we might by no means face one another within the Octagon once more, why not?”
Alex Pereira already trains with one other former opponent
It wouldn’t be the primary time Alex Pereira has teamed up with a former opponent. After scoring a first-round knockout in opposition to Sean Strickland at UFC 276, ‘Poatan’ welcomed the chance to coach with ‘Tarzan’ forward of Strickland’s personal title alternative in opposition to Adesanya.
“Sean Strickland for instance is an effective good friend now,” Pereira famous. “As soon as it’s over within the ring, you’ve received to let it go as a result of you possibly can add [something] to your sport.
Instantly following Saturday’s UFC 298 pay-per-view in Anaheim, Dana White revealed that Alex Pereira will headline UFC 300, placing his 205-pound crown on the road in opposition to former titleholder Jamahal Hill. It will likely be Pereira’s first protection of the belt following his UFC 295 victory over Jiri Prochazka in November.
