"He literally rescued me" - Fan translations suggest Alex Pereira was being utterly respectful at UFC 295 and got misunderstood by Israel Adesanya

It goes without saying that the rivalry between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira is destined to go down as one of the most storied rivalries in UFC history.

Originating from their kickboxing encounters, where Pereira secured victories over Adesanya twice, the narrative of their rivalry has unfolded into two pay-per-view events in the UFC — UFC 281 and UFC 287. The two fighters clinched a victory each, further intensifying the intrigue surrounding their rivalry.

In the latest chapter, at UFC 295, Alex Pereira clinched the vacant light heavyweight championship by defeating former 205-pound champion Jiri Prochazka by second-round TKO. This accomplishment granted Pereira the rare status of a two-division UFC champion (not simultaneous). Adesanya pursued a similar goal in his encounter with Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 but fell short, succumbing to a unanimous decision loss.

Following his victory at UFC 295, Alex Pereira seized the moment to issue a bold call-out to Israel Adesanya. While fans thought Pereira was adding an extra layer to the already storied rivalry with comments like "Come to daddy", it has now been suggested that the Brazilian was being utterly respectful at UFC 295 and was misunderstood by Israel Adesanya.

Alex Pereira, who has candidly discussed his struggles with alcoholism in the past, revealed that Israel Adesanya played a motivating role in helping him overcome challenging times. That said, Pereira seeks to reciprocate the support and be a pillar for Adesanya during his challenging phase. This commitment stems from 'The Last Stylebender' announcing that he would potentially return to action in 2027 following his setback against Sean Strickland at UFC 293.

Fans translate Alex Pereira's comments

According to the new fan translation video of Alex Pereira's post-fight interview, 'Poatan' stated:

"I am not that type of guy that calls people out, but there is a guy that I want to fight. There is a guy who motivated me, he literally rescued me from the bar. He once made an interview that I sit in a bar and envy him... By that he motivated me. He rescued me from that bar."

"Now he says that he won't fight until 2027 but that would be a waste of talent. So, I want to rescue him too. That guy is Adesanya."

Check out the video below:

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Israel Adesanya hits back at Alex Pereira's UFC 295 callout

In the aftermath of Alex Pereira's impressive victory at UFC 295 over Jiri Prochazka, the Brazilian called out his long-time rival Israel Adesanya in his post-fight interview.

Pereira credited Adesanya's words for motivating him to become a better fighter and a UFC champion. He also encouraged Adesanya not to waste his talent by taking an extended break from the sport.

Israel Adesanya reacted to Pereira's comments via X, writing:

"Like a son uttering his first words."

Check out the tweet below: