Alex Pereira has a tough time predicting the anticipated title battle between Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya.
UFC middleweight champion Du Plessis (21-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) and Adesanya (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) are rumored to probably battle on the UFC 305 pay-per-view card Aug. 17 in Perth, Australia. Adesanya will look to rebound from his title loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293.
Previous to the Strickland loss, Adesanya knocked out Pereira at UFC 287 in March 2023. Adesanya avenged his UFC 281 knockout loss to “Poatan,” who thinks he hasn’t appeared the identical since their fights.
“Being trustworthy with you, like I stated earlier than, why the Strickland battle for him can be a tough battle and looking out how all the things performed out, how all the things labored, after I fought Adesanya, he modified a bit bit,” Pereira informed Fox Sports activities Australia via a Portuguese-language interpreter. “It’s sort of like, I’m not going to say he’s not the identical anymore however he’s been performing a bit completely different, so I don’t even know what to anticipate.”
With their collection tied 1-1 in MMA, Pereira (10-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) was open to a trilogy bout with Adesanya, however says “The Final Stylebender” didn’t reciprocate his enthusiasm.
Pereira has since moved as much as gentle heavyweight, captured that division’s belt, and efficiently defended it with a knockout of Jamahal Hill at UFC 300 in April. He’s at present angling for a rematch with Jiri Prochazka, whom he knocked out to assert the vacant gentle heavyweight title at UFC 295.
Be sure you go to the MMA Junkie Instagram web page and YouTube channel to debate this and extra content material with followers of blended martial arts.