Through two sports, Alex Pereira has managed to break Israel Adesanya physically and mentally. The Brazilian has used his power to defy the odds – literally and figuratively – and reach the top of the mountain in combat sports. Already 3-0 against Adesanya, Pereira is ready to win number four against “The Last Stylebender.”
Pereira defends the UFC middleweight title against former champion Adesanya at UFC 287 on April 8 at the Miami-Dade Arena. Adesanya has revenge on his mind, but Pereira is ready to showcase his kryptonite-like status in this showdown.
Leaving kickboxing behind, Adesanya thrived in the UFC. Speaking with Sporting News Australia in 2020, he talked about how Pereira, still a kickboxer at the time, will be a nobody compared to him when all is said and done. Pereira took exception to that, which motivated him to join MMA and take him down again.
“When Israel Adesanya joined the UFC, I started taking a close look because I had the interest of fighting in MMA,” Pereira said during a UFC 287 Countdown video via Bloody Elbow. “There is a video of an interview with Israel Adesanya that motivated me so much. I felt challenged. And whenever there’s a challenge, no one can hold me back. I wanted new challenges, and the UFC was it.”
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Does Pereira still have the motivation to beat Adesanya again, or will Adesanya be able to rewrite history? Here’s an in-depth look at the history of Pereira and Adesanya, from kickboxing to the octagon.
Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya timeline
In 2016, Adesanya and Pereira fought at GLORY of Heroes 1 in China. Adesanya out-struck Pereira, but Pereira landed combinations and shots that caused damage. Depending on how you saw it, Pereira slowed down toward the end, but Adesanya could not take advantage. Pereira would ultimately secure the unanimous decision win.
Adesanya believes the fight was his, as he explained to MMA reporters at UFC 276 media day.
MORE: All you need to know about Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya 2 at UFC 287
“Who’s actually seen the whole fight? Hands up… That’s one, two, three people, four, five. In a room full of how many? Exactly, you’re journalists – do your f------ job,” Adesanya said via MMA News. “I f----- this guy up in the first fight. Not crazy, but the judges gave it to him.”
Pereira faced Adesanya at GLORY of Heroes 7 in 2017. In Pereira's hometown in Brazil, Adesanya was the aggressor to open things up. The Nigerian had Pereira by the ropes in the second round, and it looked like he was ready to get revenge.
It wasn’t meant to be.
In the third, Pereira delivered a devastating shot to the chin that dropped Adesanya. That was the first time in his career Adesanya was knocked out.
Adesanya joined the UFC in 2018 and beat Robert Whittaker in 2019 for the middleweight title.
Pereira joined the UFC in November 2021 and beat Sean Strickland in only his seventh MMA fight to fight for gold.
MORE: Pereira believes Adesanya has rushed into rematch
At UFC 281, Adesanya landed 86 significant strikes out of 209 and had over six minutes of control time. Pereira landed 91 of 140 shots, and landed brutal shots in the fifth round, forcing Adesanya by the cage. Unprotected blows reined in, and the referee had seen enough. Pereira took the title and a 3-0 lead over his foe following a TKO win.
