Fans react after Israel Adesanya claims Alex Pereira would have been "exposed a long time ago" without him

The much-awaited UFC 287 event is set to witness a high-stakes, adrenaline-fueled rematch between Alex Pereira and his long-time foe, Israel Adesanya. As Pereira gears up to defend his coveted middleweight title for the very first time, he aims to leave no stone unturned in his pursuit of victory against the former champion.

Having dealt a crushing blow to Adesanya with a dramatic fifth-round knockout at UFC 281, Pereira is keen on delivering another power-packed performance and cementing his place as a dominant force in the UFC.

In a recent interview with TheMacLife, 'The Last Stylebender' insinuated that Alex Pereira's success can be attributed solely to his own involvement, stating that 'Poatan' would have been "exposed a long time ago" were it not for their previous encounters.

Adesanya seemingly suggested that his own presence and stature in the MMA world had propelled the Brazilian native to the forefront of the sport, and that his opponent's achievements were therefore somewhat diminished without this association.

Check out the entire conversation below:

Adesanya's recent remarks have caused a stir among fans and the MMA community, with many vehemently disagreeing with his stance.

Check out some of the social media reactions below:

YouTube user @faisal wrote:

"What if this is actually Pereira's story all along and not Izzy's?"

@Nindupeetam Rahul reacted:

"Without him you would've still been World Champ."

Another user @Jamie Stevens stated:

"Exposed for what? We all know that Alex Pereira needs to work on grappling. He’s already an elite striker. Fact is, the only time Izzy got a takedown was when Alex made a rookie mistake."

@Greay Statia wrote:

"Don't think Alex hates Izzy at this point, he beat him 2 times before then beat him the 3rd time and got rich."

YouTuber @noah, thinks the former champion hasn't quite accepted his losses and wrote:

"Izzy took the loss worse than anyone. Humble my a**."

@Nicola Maxwell stated:

"Israel Adesanya is part of Alex Pereira's story. Simple."

Another fan @Truth2Tell reacted:

"Without him you wouldn't have nightmares."

@bren remarked:

"Izzy down 3-0 acting like if he wins it’ll put him up 4-3 lol."

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What are the latest odds for Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira 2?

The anticipation surrounding the highly anticipated UFC 287 event is palpable, as the rematch between MMA stalwarts Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya draws near. As two of the sport's most accomplished fighters, the prospect of their rematch has generated a feverish buzz among mixed martial arts enthusiasts.

The upcoming UFC 287 battle between Adesanya and Pereira is set to be a thrilling encounter, with the odds released by BestFightOdds indicating a close and intriguing matchup. The odds have designated Adesanya as the -155 favorite, meaning that those who wager $155 on the former champion will earn a $100 profit if he is successful.

'Poatan', the current titleholder, has been labeled as the +135 underdog, meaning that a $100 bet on him would result in a $135 return if he triumphs. This may come as a surprise to some fans, considering that Pereira emerged victorious in their last encounter.