Former UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, says his storied rivalry with Alex Pereira has come to an end, putting to rest one of the most captivating feuds in modern combat sports.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, FreeStyleBender, ahead of Pereira’s recent title defence at UFC 307, Adesanya said, “My story with him is over. People always, just the ‘Poat*rds’ still, ‘it’s still 3-1, d*mn it.’”
The Nigerian-born fighter’s comments come in the wake of Pereira’s own acknowledgement of their mutual respect.
The Brazilian light heavyweight champion recently expressed appreciation for Adesanya’s sportsmanship, saying, “I think it was a really nice thing that he did. I have a lot of respect for the fact that the rivalry stayed in the ring.”
Their rivalry, which spans seven years and two combat disciplines, has seen both fighters experience highs and lows. Pereira initially held the upper hand with two victories over Adesanya in kickboxing and a TKO win for the UFC middleweight title in November 2022.
However, Adesanya emphatically reclaimed his title six months later with a second-round knockout, earning him the 2023 Knockout of the Year honours.
Despite fans clamouring for a trilogy bout, both fighters seem content to move on. Pereira even suggested the possibility of training together in the future, highlighting the evolving nature of their relationship.
Interestingly, Adesanya had previously attributed some of Pereira’s success to supernatural forces.
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