Alex Pereira is leaving it as much as Israel Adesanya to determine in the event that they ever combat once more.
Following a second-round knockout of Jiri Prochazka that gained him the UFC mild heavyweight title this previous November, Pereira instantly known as for a trilogy bout with Adesanya. The longtime rivals have met 4 occasions in fight sports activities, with Pereira defeating Adesanya twice in kickboxing earlier than splitting a pair of fights contained in the UFC octagon.
Pereira defeated Adesanya at UFC 281 to turn into middleweight champion earlier than giving the belt again to “The Final Stylebender” of their rematch at UFC 287. A 3rd assembly may settle their feud as soon as and for all, however Adesanya is at the moment on a self-imposed hiatus from action that he introduced shortly after shedding his title to Sean Strickland at UFC 293.
If Adesanya sticks to his determination to remain out of competitors, Pereira is able to transfer on.
“It doesn’t matter for me,” Pereira stated by way of a Portuguese translator at a latest Q&A in France hosted by Ares FC. “I known as him out within the cage after the title win, and I wished to provide him the prospect, and I noticed he was not giving me any respect for this – he was laughing about it and making some jokes.
“So for me, it doesn’t matter anymore. I gave him the prospect. If he comes up, good; if he doesn’t, it doesn’t matter.”
Previous to the Strickland loss, Adesanya stated on The MMA Hour that he would combat Pereira at 205 kilos if Pereira was capable of seize that division’s title. Adesanya had beforehand tried to turn into a two-division titleholder in March 2021 and misplaced a cut up determination to Jan Blachowicz in a champion vs. champion match.
Nonetheless, since Pereira’s mild heavyweight title win, Adesanya has but to indicate curiosity in once more altering divisions, which is ok with Pereira.
“I doubt if he actually desires to combat me as a result of, speaking critical, he gained as soon as towards me,” Pereira stated. “It was his dream to win towards me, he did it. So now stepping into this cage once more with me, he is aware of every little thing can occur, and he can lose once more, so I’m actually doubting if he’s motivated to combat me once more.
“Like I stated, I by no means select my opponents. I don’t know what occurs sooner or later, however I by no means select. If he desires to combat, I welcome him within the cage.”
A number of names probably await Pereira when he books his first title protection, together with former champion Jamahal Hill, whose relinquishing of the belt led to Pereira vs. Blachowicz, latest UFC Vegas 83 winner Khalil Rountree, and the winner of an upcoming contender bout between Blachowicz and Aleksandar Rakic.
Whoever Pereira faces subsequent, he’ll be the A-side of that matchup, and he may have some say in the place the combat takes place. Might a Brazil homecoming be within the playing cards?
“I wish to combat,” he stated. “For me it doesn’t matter the place, I similar to to combat. In the event that they put me within the States or in Brazil, for me it doesn’t matter.
“However for certain, if I’ll combat in Brazil, it’s good as a result of I can present the individuals the place I got here from they usually can dwell this expertise they usually can see and really feel what you’ll be able to attain in your life if you work exhausting. It’s good to indicate them this nearer, however I combat wherever they put me, it’s not my determination, so I simply wish to combat.”
The Ares FC Q&A featured each Pereira and high UFC heavyweight Ciryl Gane. After the session ended, Pereira and Gane playfully faced off.
Earlier, Pereira was requested if he’d contemplate shifting as much as heavyweight for the prospect to turn into a three-division champion.
“It’s not my plan, truly, for the time being,” Pereira stated. “I simply went to a better weight division and I really feel superb in it. I simply gained the belt, so it exhibits I did one thing proper, so I’m for the time being a lightweight heavyweight.
“I’m not a heavyweight, and if my physique calls me sooner or later as a result of I’m 36 years previous now, my coaching modified slightly bit, just like the final three years my physique modified so much due to completely different coaching, not solely kickboxing, as nicely a floor sport, proper? So my physique modified. If my physique will change extra and my physique will say, ‘Man, you’ll be able to’t combat anymore at mild heavyweight,’ OK, I’ll go up. Nevertheless it’s not the plan for the time being.”
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