UFC 281: Dan Hardy backs Israel Adesanya to beat Alex Pereira 

UFC veteran Dan Hardy has made his prediction for the upcoming middleweight title clash between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira. Hardy believes Adesanya will get the better of Pereira in MMA, which has smaller gloves and allows a wider range of movement compared to kickboxing.

Hardy also believes that 'Poatan' hasn't yet adapted to fighting elite middleweights, although he might have the potential to do so. While 'The Outlaw' isn't dismissing the possibility of Adesanya getting rocked, he doesn't believe the UFC middleweight champion will get finished. Hardy said in a recent interview with Submission Radio:

"I'm leaning towards Adesanya. I feel like the small gloves, the bigger space, the wider corners, 175 degrees instead of 90, gives him more getouts if he's moving laterally up against the fence. And I still feel like in seven fights Pereira's probably not fully adapted to the top flight mixed martial arts level just yet. It doesn't mean that he can't. But I certainly feel like Adesanya the experience that he's got, the advantage, he's gonna be too great for him at that range. And I feel like he's gonna outpoint him to a decision. Might have a couple of eerie moments when he gets dropped and hurt but I don't think he's gonna get put away."

Watch Dan Hardy's comments below (27:27):

Israel Adesanya claims to know something that Alex Pereira doesn't

Alex Pereira holds two wins over Israel Adesanya from their kickboxing days which have propelled the Brazilian to a UFC title shot with just seven pro-MMA outings to his name. Pereira recently mocked Adesanya by posting a video of himself boxing atop a hoverboard.

'The Last Stylebender' is content to let Pereira have his say as the Brazilian has the 'bragging rights.' However, when the time comes, Adesanya claims to know something that 'Poatan' doesn't. Without letting the cat out of the bag, the UFC middleweight champ said on The MMA Hour:

“So this is personal. For me, I’ve said less, he can do all the tennis ball videos and f****** hoverboard things he wants, but for me I’m just like, ‘Cool. You do you.’ He has bragging rights, so let him do that, but when it’s time I know something he doesn’t. I can’t tell you.”

Watch Israel Adesanya's appearance on The MMA Hour below: