Alex Pereira may have had a long running rivalry with Israel Adesanya, but it seems that the current light-heavyweight champion isn’t one to hold a grudge.
On the contrary, Pereira says that not only does he think Adesanya will beat Dricus du Plessis and win back the middleweight title at UFC 305 in Australia next month, but he’ll also be cheering him on to do so.
“[People] asked me about Adesanya and du Plessis, I said I don’t see Adesanya losing,” Pereira said on YouTube. “Just because he said that about me doesn’t mean I’ll say it back. It’s what I think. I don’t think he loses this fight. I hope he wins because he has a beautiful story. I think he has to continue his story.”
Pereira was KO’d by Adesanya back in April of last year, but the Brazilian had already claimed two wins over ‘The last Stylebender’ in kickboxing and TKO’d him in the UFC in 2022, so as far as he’s concerned it’s all water under the bridge.
“He isn’t that young anymore,” Pereira said of Adesanya. “He talked a little about wanting to stop [fighting], I think he has that in mind. I think he should continue his plans. I don’t think he finished his plans, I don’t know. If he had finished his plans he would of stopped already, so if he’s still there, he still has a dream, something to do in the sport still. I’m here, supporting him. I already fought him, I’m not going to say he should lose. I’m not mad at him, no grudges.”
In fact, Pereira is still interested in training with Adesanya one day.
“Like I said, if one day it’s possible to train with him and exchange knowledge,” Pereira said. “We hear a lot of things about Adesanya behind the scenes, a lot of people talk about him, ‘He’s like this, he’s annoying,’ and whatnot. People who truly know him, that I have contact with, say good things about him, say he has a good heart. A lot of the times it’s just marketing, and I believe that.
“I can see he’s a good person, so that’s why I’m here, cheering for him. If he doesn’t cheer for me, that’s not my problem. But I’m here, cheering for him.”
