Israel Adesanya remains open to the idea of an MMA trilogy bout with Pereira if Pereira attains the championship.
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Despite the upcoming plans for both fighters, which involve Alex Pereira transitioning to the light heavyweight division for a bout against Jan Blachowicz, and Israel Adesanya awaiting his next challenger in the middleweight category, the prospect of another clash between these longtime rivals may appear doubtful.
However, considering their storied history, it remains within the realm of possibility that these two adversaries could once again meet in the octagon. In their ongoing four-fight series, Israel Adesanya achieved his initial victory over Pereira at UFC 287 in April, ultimately conquering his rival after a title fight loss at UFC 281 and two previous kickboxing defeats to the Brazilian striker.
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While it appears that both fighters are currently focused on different paths, Adesanya remains open to the idea of an MMA trilogy bout with Pereira if Pereira attains the championship in his new weight division.
“If he wins the belt at 205, I’ll do it again,” Adesanya said on The MMA Hour. “If not, I think he’s done with it, I’m done with it, everyone else wants to see it, but we’re moved on. It’s life.”
With his experience as a two-division champion in Glory Kickboxing, Pereira is no stranger to claiming titles across different weight classes. Demonstrating his versatility, he is set to face Jan Blachowicz, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, in the co-main event of UFC 291 scheduled for July 29.
During a recent chance encounter at the airport, Israel Adesanya, who previously faced Jan Blachowicz in a title defense, shared some strategic advice with Alex Pereira regarding their upcoming fight.
Adesanya’s hesitance to commit to another bout with Pereira stems partly from the immense satisfaction he derived from knocking out Pereira in their second MMA encounter. Pereira’s previous knockout victories over Adesanya in both kickboxing and the UFC have left a lingering shadow over Adesanya’s legacy, intensifying his desire to even the score.
The weight of these defeats has fueled Adesanya’s determination to assert his dominance and solidify his own reputation, making him more cautious when considering another clash with Pereira.
The path to a title shot at 205 pounds for Pereira remains uncertain. If he manages to defeat Blachowicz in their upcoming fight, it could potentially propel him into contention for a title shot against the current champion, Jamahal Hill.
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