Alex Pereira thinks Saturday night will be the last time he ever fights Israel Adesanya.
Pereira and Adesanya are set to have their rematch in MMA in the main event of UFC 287. Back in November at UFC 261, Pereira scored a comeback fifth-round TKO win to become the new UFC middleweight champion. It was also the third time Pereira beat Adesanya as the two fought twice in kickboxing with the Brazilian winning once by KO and once by decision.
Now, ahead of their rematch in MMA, Adesanya has said this is likely his last shot at Pereira. However, Pereira has taken it one step further and guarantees Saturday night will be the last time the two fight.
“I believe that me beating him this Saturday, I will never face him again,” Pereira said at UFC 287 media day.
Pereira also enters UFC 287 with a ton of confidence as he knows he has the power at any time to hurt and finish Adesanya. At UFC 281, he also wrestled to win the second round, so Pereira knows he has all the tools to go 4-0 against Adesanya.
“I do know how to beat him,” Pereira said. “I know how he fights, I know how he works, so I do know how to beat him.”
If Alex Pereira does beat Israel Adesanya again at UFC 287 he will have defended his title for the first time. Yet, he is a bigger middleweight so how much longer he will last in the division is uncertain. But, he knows once he gets his hand raised and hears ‘And Still’ his rivalry with Adesanya will close with him winning all four fights.
Pereira enters his UFC 287 main event with a record of 4-0 in the UFC. Prior to beating Adesanya, he knocked out Sean Strickland, beat Bruno Silva by decision and KO’d Andreas Michailidis.
Do you think UFC 287 will be the last time Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya fight each other?
