![Alex Pereira (left) and Israel Adesanya (right) have compted twice in the UFC [Image courtesy: @alexpoatanpereira on Instagram and Getty]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/09/24535-17264975205453-1920.jpg)
![Alex Pereira (left) and Israel Adesanya (right) have compted twice in the UFC [Image courtesy: @alexpoatanpereira on Instagram and Getty]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya has been one of the most entertaining rivalries in combat sports in recent times. The rivalry started well before they both became a part of the UFC, as they had locked horns in kickboxing before transitioning over to MMA.
Despite their rivalry, it appears as though the two fighters have a great deal of respect for each other. There have been instances where Adesanya and Pereira have shared kind words for and with each other.
One such instance took place in November 2023, when Pereira went up against Jiri Prochazka for the light heavyweight belt. The Brazilian outclassed his opponent and scored a knockout in the second round of the fight.
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In his post-fight octagon interview with Joe Rogan, Pereira called out 'The Last Stylebender' for a trilogy bout. The 37-year-old mentioned how Adesanya had once claimed that he would go on to achieve great things while 'Poatan' would just remain a guy in a bar, bragging about beating 'The Last Stylebender' in kickboxing.
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At the time, Adesanya was on a hiatus from MMA, and Pereira went on to add that he would like to "rescue" his rival, just as 'The Last Stylebender' had done all those years ago. 'Poatan' said:
"Well, I'm never one to call anyone but I wanted one fight that's interesting for me and it would be interesting, it going to be for the whole world, is one person [Israel Adesanya] who somehow encouraged [me] when I was in a bar drinking and he in one video said that I would stay in the bar but he rescued me. This guy also spoke recently that he will return only in 2027. So, in a way he rescued me, I want to rescue this guy because he's a talent. He can't sit still all this time." [Translation via Fists of Fury on YouTube]
Check out Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya's comments below:
What happened in the two UFC fights between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya?
Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya's first UFC clash took place in November 2022. The two fighters headlined UFC 281 in a middleweight title clash. That night, 'Poatan' proved himself to be the better fighter and scored a TKO victory in the fifth round of the fight.
Their second encounter took place at UFC 287 in April 2023. This time, Adesanya avenged his loss by knocking Pereira out in the second round of the bout.
