Israel Adesanya expresses gratitude towards Alex Pereira for their rivalry and acknowledges that Pereira’s victories over him in kickboxing forced him to grow and become a better fighter.
Israel Adesanya, the reigning UFC middleweight champion who cleared out the division, recently expressed his gratitude towards his old rival, Alex Pereira, for their intense rivalry. Pereira had twice beaten Adesanya in kickboxing before he showed up in the UFC. In their recent title bout at UFC 281, Pereira emerged victorious after coming from behind in the final round to finish Adesanya and capture the 185-pound championship.
However, Adesanya had his revenge in their recent rematch at UFC 287. He scored a first-round knockout over Pereira, showcasing his growth and the improvement in his fighting style. Adesanya took to social media to convey his gratitude for Pereira, saying that their rivalry had forced him to evolve as a fighter.
Adesanya acknowledged that nothing in life can compare to putting it all on the line, with the whole world watching and waiting for the decisive moment. He mentioned how their lineages had become intertwined due to the stories they had told through their beautiful violence. He admitted that he was grateful for their rivalry because it had forced him to grow and had made him even better.
In his message, Adesanya also joked about the gift that he had given Pereira, the “ass whoopings,” stating that he had now done the same for him. He concluded his post by giving a shoutout to Pereira, a warrior from Brazil.
This rivalry between Adesanya and Pereira had captivated the UFC audience, and it is heartening to see that even though they are intense rivals, they still hold immense respect for each other. As fans, we look forward to the continuation of this rivalry and the beautiful violence they will bring to the octagon.