Former UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya recently shared candid thoughts regarding his storied rivalry with Alex Pereira, the current two-division champion.
The intense series of bouts between the Nigerian fighter and the Brazilian champion spans both kickboxing and mixed martial arts. Out of their four total confrontations—two in each discipline—Pereira initially secured the first three victories. However, Adesanya ultimately settled the score by claiming the victory in their final MMA encounter.
Adesanya stressed that the competitive feud was never rooted in personal animosity. He explained his approach to the rivalry:
“For me, it was never personal. I just knew that I was the only one who could technically cause him serious damage. And I am very proud of what he achieved after our last fight. He is back on top, a two-time light heavyweight champion. I sincerely hope he never loses again — and retires undefeated.”
Adesanya also revealed that his drive for the rematch was motivated partly by external criticism following his loss to Pereira.
“Back then, it was about other people. Because after he beat me, many said: ‘That’s it, Israel will never fight him again.’ And I told [Dana] White: ‘Let me fight him once more,’” Adesanya concluded.
