Israel Adesanya, the former UFC middleweight champion, is gearing up for his highly anticipated rematch against Alex Pereira at UFC 287 on April 8th. Adesanya is determined to avenge his loss to Pereira at UFC 281, where he was minutes away from winning the judges’ decision.
This fight holds immense significance for Adesanya, as he not only wants to reclaim his title, but also earn his first combat sports victory over Pereira. The two fighters have a history, with Pereira having defeated Adesanya twice during their time in Glory Kickboxing before they both transitioned to MMA.
Adesanya is fully aware of the stakes involved in this rematch and is preparing as if it were the early stages of his career, where he had to fight tooth and nail to make a name for himself. In a recent behind-the-scenes segment on his YouTube channel, Adesanya revealed that he views this fight as his last shot and is leaving no stone unturned in his preparations.
“Yeah I do,” Adesanya said. “This is kind of poetic, in a way. This is my last shot, and I’m gonna give it all I got.” – Izzy answered when he was asked if his mindset was changed for this rematch.
Before his loss to Pereira, Adesanya was unbeaten in his middleweight career and had successfully defended his title five times. He is widely regarded as one of the pound-for-pound best in the sport. However, another loss to Pereira would likely put him out of the middleweight title picture, making this fight a make-or-break moment in Adesanya’s career.
Adesanya’s determination to succeed and reclaim his status as a champion is palpable, and he is ready to give it his all at UFC 287.