MMA fighter Israel Adesanya is due to put his Middleweight title on the line later this year and neutral fans will be delighted to learn the name of his next opponent. Adesanya is all set to take on Alex Pereira and there is no love lost between these two.
The contest is long overdue but what can we expect when the contenders step into the Octagon?
When and Where?
The middleweight championship fight between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira will form part of UFC 281 on November 12. The battle will headline the card which is all set for New York City’s iconic Madison Square Garden.
Ultimate Fighting Championship will be hosting an impressive bill which will showcase important bouts for men and women across many divisions. There’s lots to enjoy, but there’s no doubt that the grudge match between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira is the highlight of the night.
The Neutral Verdict
Predictions are in for this fight and, according to the sportsbooks, defending champion Israel Adesanya is the clear favourite to win this contest. Using Betway odds, we can see that there is a clear gap in the outright winner market between Adesanya and challenger Alex Pereira.
That’s a strong indication of where these two fighters are at right now. Sportsbooks will generally come down in favour of a defending champion, but the gap in the market suggests that Alex Pereira has a seriously tough assignment in front of him.
Seeking a Record
When Israel Adesanya steps into the ring in Madison Square Garden, he will be aiming to secure the fifth successful defence of his UFC middleweight title. Another win would make it six and a 13-0 return in this division.
Victory would equal Anderson Silva’s winning streak, so Adesanya has plenty to target.
The fight was confirmed after the two men were successful at UFC 276. Adesanya was a unanimous winner over Jared Cannonier while Pereira sealed a first-round knockout against Sean Strickland.
An Overdue Rematch
Casual fight fans may not actually be aware that these two have met away from the MMA arena. Adesanya has previously taken on Pereira in two kickboxing contests and the results went against the markets for the upcoming UFC battle.
The first of those two encounters came in April 2016 when Pereira overcame his opponent via a unanimous decision. Less than a year later, the two protagonists faced each other again. Pereira came through for a second time as his trusty left hook secured a knockout win.
(Pereira Cleans Knocks Out Adesanya)
MMA is a different discipline and Israel Adesanya has matured as a fighter since those days. Those defeats will, however, be at the back of his mind when the two men step into the Octagon in November.
The Tale of the Tape
Those previous contests contribute to what are impressive fight records in both camps. Champion Israel Adesanya has so far competed in 24 MMA bouts. He’s won no fewer than 23 of those with 15 of those victories coming via knockout.
His only defeat came in 2021 when he made the decision to step up to the light heavyweight division. There, he lost to Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 by a unanimous decision.
In the opposite corner, Alex Pereira will be facing just his eighth MMA contest. Of his previous seven contests, there are six wins with five of those coming via knockout. The solitary defeat that spoils his card came in his first ever Mixed Martial Arts contest back in 2015.
The Brazilian quickly returned to kickboxing where he has won 33 of his 40 contests to date. It’s a very small sample size but, if we justifiably rule out that 2015 loss, this is an impressive record.
Both fighters have recorded just one defeat in their professional MMA careers, but whose tally will be spoiled at UFC 281?
How can Alex Pereira Upset the Odds?
The left hook with which Alex Pereira defeated Israel Adesanya in 2017 could be his secret weapon once again. It’s a signature piece of his arsenal and has been used to great effect in all of his combat sports this far.
By its very definition, the sport of Mixed Martial Arts requires many more disciplines and Adesanya may well have a better all-round game. Pereira will, however, rely on his kickboxing qualities to an extent and they might just help him to get over the line.
The defending champion might also have a block in his mind relating to those previous defeats. More than five years have elapsed since that last kickboxing encounter, but Israel Adesanya cannot escape the fact that the head-to-head record is 2 and 0 in favor of his opponent.
The Verdict
Experience may well have a part to play in the outcome of this fight. Israel Adesanya is the younger of the two men by just two years, but he has a much more impressive MMA CV behind him.
At 35 and with just seven bouts to his name, it seems as though Alex Pereira has crossed over into MMA as something of an afterthought.
There are those kickboxing defeats to take into account in what is a true grudge match. Defending champion Adesanya has dismissed them as ancient history, but he’s also spoken of revenge and that gives fight fans a fascinating backstory to this highly anticipated bout.
