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UFC middleweight Phil Hawes has an interesting take on the upcoming Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira title fight.
Adesanya and Pereira are well-acquainted with one another. The pair of strikers have fought twice during their kickboxing days, with Pereira getting the better of Adesanya both times.
Their first meeting saw 'Poatan' snatch a close unanimous decision win at Glory of Heroes 1 in 2016. They ran it back a year later in what was Adesanya's final pro kickboxing fight. 'The Last Stylebender' looked like he was on his way to avenging his loss before Pereira unleashed a fight-ending left hook.
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However, Adesanya and Pereira will fight under MMA rules for the first time at UFC 281 in November. With that in mind, Hawes believes it's highly likely that Adesanya will finally get his revenge. Breaking down the upcoming middleweight title fight, Hawes told The Schmo:
"Man, Izzy's really good. I can see him being crazy enough to attempt a takedown. You know what I mean. I can expect that out of him because he's crazy. You know what I mean? He's an entertainer so I can see him doing something like that, but I think he gets it out. I think he gets by."
Catch Phil Hawes' prediction for Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira below:
UFC legend believes takedowns could be involved in Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira fight
Many expect Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira to be contested on the feet. After all, both competitors are world-class strikers.
However, UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre thinks fans could be surprised with how the bout plays out. According to 'GSP', it's entirely possible for either competitor to go beyond their comfort zone and look for a takedown.
"I mean, I don't know... it's not that I have inside information, but we might see one of them go for a takedown. That would be kind of funny. Not funny, but it's allowed, you know. Maybe one of them will have the audacity to try to take his opponent by surprise outside of his comfort zone."
Catch Georges St-Pierre's interview with Helen Yee sports below:
