MMA: Nigerian Israel Adesanya faces his worst nightmare Alex Pereira

Nigeria's Israel Adesanya (left) faces Brazil's Alex Pereira in their first MMA showdown. November 13, 2022. Zuffa LLC - Jeff Bottari

Text by: Ndiasse Sambe Follow

3 min

Israel Adesanya goes to the reconquest of the title of UFC middleweight champion in Mixed martial art (MMA), on the night of this Saturday, April 8 to Sunday, April 9, against Alex Pereira who dispossessed him last November. Above all, the Nigerian must finally overcome the Brazilian after three face-to-face lost.

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For Israel Adesanya, the bête noire of his sleepless nights necessarily has a name: Alex Pereira. The Brazilian haunts the Nigerian who has never managed to beat him after three confrontations. The first two were set in the kickboxing ring, long before both fighters made their final transition to MMA.

It was in 2016 in China that Act 1 Adesanya-Pereira was played during the biggest event for the promotion of kickboxing, the Glory of Heroes. Pereira won the duel by unanimous decision of the judges against an Adesanya who thought he deserved the victory.

For the reunion in July 2017, the Nigerian dominated the face-off, but in the third round, he was knocked out by Pereira's left hook which justified his nickname "Stone Hand".

Stung to the quick

Five months later, the native of Lagos, who was fighting in MMA at the same time, made his real entry into the discipline by signing with the UFC. In four years, he crushed everything, winning the UFC middleweight title in his sixth fight. He is the undisputed master of the category, until his "old friend" Alex Pereira reappears and comes hunting on his land.

► READ ALSO: Israel Adesanya: "Africa will establish its domination over MMA"

The Brazilian admits to having been stung by statements of the Nigerian, new MMA champion. Israel Adesanya said: "This guy [Alex Pereira] watches all my fights, and every time he says something like, 'I beat this guy.' In the end, no one knows who he is. And when I'm a legend, you'll find him in a bar repeating this to try to convince a crack girl to do things with him. »

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This interview motivated me so much, confided the Brazilian. I felt "challenged". And when I do, no one can stop me. I had found my new challenge, and it was in the UFC."

Adesanya: "This is my last chance"

Nearly three years later, after climbing the UFC steps four to four, with only seven fights, he is facing Adesanya in the octagon. On November 13, 2022, at Madison Square Garden in New York, the Nigerian, more experienced and highly motivated, dominated the exchanges before Pereira turned the situation around by chaining devastating blows that eventually prompted the referee to stop the fight. The Brazilian is declared the winner by TKO. New frustration for Adesanya.

For Saturday, the Nigerian champion himself says about this fourth duel: "This is my last chance, I will give everything I have. The belt doesn't matter. I just have to beat this guy.

"The Hunt" is the title chosen by the UFC to promote this shock. It is time for Israel Adesanya to end its worst nightmare.

🚨🚨 PEREIRA VS. ADESANYA

THE 127TH FACE-TO-FACE!

#UFC287 THE WAR ⚔️pic.twitter.com/rWO1Jycebv

— ARENA (@MMArena_) April 6, 2023

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