Israel Adesanya faces Alex Pereira for the fourth time in his career, with his legacy on the line, as he seeks victory to secure his position among the all-time greats.
Israel Adesanya has faced Alex Pereira three times across kickboxing and MMA, coming close to victory each time before ultimately losing. The first fight ended in a razor-close decision, while the second saw Adesanya nearly scoring a finish before being knocked out by Pereira. Their first UFC encounter followed a similar pattern, with Adesanya almost defeating Pereira early on and leading on the scorecards only for the Brazilian to mount a comeback and secure a fifth-round knockout. This upcoming Saturday, at UFC 287, Adesanya is set to face Pereira for potentially the last time in his career, with the stakes being higher than ever.
UFC welterweight Matt Brown expressed the importance of this fight for Adesanya’s legacy on the latest episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer. Brown believes that if Adesanya fails to triumph over Pereira, it will be challenging for him to work his way back up to the top, as the promoters would be hesitant to arrange a third fight between the two. Brown sees this weekend’s fight as crucial for Adesanya’s legacy, and hopes that the fighter’s only focus is on the match.
Before his loss to Pereira in November, Adesanya had already made a name for himself as possibly the second greatest middleweight in history, behind 10-time defending UFC champion Anderson Silva. While his previous accomplishments are not diminished, the outcomes of his encounters with Pereira have undoubtedly cast a shadow over his potential legacy. A victory would allow Adesanya to overcome his past demons and solidify his status among the all-time greats, whereas another defeat could significantly affect how he is remembered.
Regarding strategy for the upcoming fight, Brown believes that Adesanya should not make wholesale changes, as he has already demonstrated the ability to hurt Pereira and outscore him in their previous fights. The key issue, according to Brown, is Adesanya’s inability to prevent a Pereira comeback. The 33-year-old middleweight needs to maintain his focus for all five rounds on Saturday and avoid letting past losses affect his performance. Ultimately, Brown is confident in Adesanya’s abilities and expects him to emerge victorious, potentially leading to a thrilling trilogy match in the UFC and a fifth overall fight between the two.