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Reigning UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and No.6-ranked contender Alex Pereira have squared off in the kickboxing ring twice in their careers. Both times it was Pereira who came away with the win.
The top of the food chain kickboxer locked horns for the first time at Glory of Heroes 1 in Shenzhen, China, in 2016. Pereira overcame the Kiwi with a comfortable unanimous decision win at the event.
Watch Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya 1 below:
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In March 2017, 'The Last Stylebender' was presented with an opportunity to avenge his loss to the Brazilian. This time around, the duo met at the 15th edition of the Glory of Heroes in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The second fight between the two ended in a much worse fate for Adesanya as the Brazilian kickboxer knocked out the New Zealander with a left hook in the third round. The loss also marked the UFC middleweight champion's first and only knockout loss in combat sports.
Watch Pereira vs. Adesanya 2 below:
Israel Adesanya calls out Alex Pereira
To say that there is bad blood between Adesanya and Pereira would be an understatement. After his UFC 276 victory against Jared Cannonier, the middleweight champion called out his old foe Alex Pereira.
During his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, 'The Last Stylebender' said that Pereira was next on his radar:
"Look, we know who is next. That 'Poatan' p*ha [Alex Pereira]. Trust me, the first time I told you. It was an error on my part spamming right hands and that was in kickboxing... But like I said at the press conference, the next time I put you on skates, you're going to get a little frozen like Elza."
Watch Israel Adesanya call out Alex Pereira below:
A potential matchup between Pereira and Adesanya doesn't seem so far-fetched, seeing as the Brazilian is already a No.6 contender following his knockout victory against Sean Strickland at UFC 276.
Since his UFC debut in 2021, the 35-year-old Brazilian has racked up three consecutive wins in less than a year. Two of Pereira's three victories in the UFC have come via knockout.
