Alex Pereira encounters Israel Adesanya’s friend, Kamaru Usman at the UFC PI, has unique proposal: “Has to be my friend…”

Alex Pereira put his rivalry with Israel Adesanya to rest; meets Kamaru Usman ahead of UFC 313 PPV title headliner.

Alex Pereira encounters Israel Adesanya’s friend, Kamaru Usman at the UFC PI, has unique proposal: “Has to be my friend…”

Alex Pereira meets rival Israel Adesanya's friend, Kamaru Usman (Source: X/IMAGO)

The UFC will feature another numbered event and PPV offering in Las Vegas on Saturday with UFC 313. Alex Pereira defends his strap against Magomed Ankalaev in the main event. Pereira, once touting a championship win over Israel Adesanya at 185-pounds, has made the 205-pound class his home. Recently, he ran into Adesanya’s close friend Kamaru Usman at the UFC Las Vegas PI.

Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya have had quite the rivalry, touting one-piece wins each. Izzy even douses that their rivalry made a monster out of Pereira, who now goes on for his fourth-straight title defense at UFC 313. Additionally, Kamaru Usman, part of the ‘Three African Kings’, met up with Pereira and Plinio Cruz at the UFC PI.

Plinio, tell [him] now that I’m friends with Adesanya, …he has to be my friend too…

Alex Pereira said (🎥 : @ChampRDS on X)
YouTube video

Not a thing of coincidence that the Brazilian would offer up his friendship. The stoic “Poatan” said he does not enjoy seeing even rivals lose. Israel Adesanya, and by extension, Usman, would definitely count, given he has been dapping up with the Kiwi-Nigerian a lot.

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Kamaru Usman has, at some instances, remained critical of Pereira’s meteoric rise despite holes in ground game. He even snubbed him off the No.1 pound-for-pound spot various times. However, that does not mean he can’t be akin to his ‘warrior spirit.’

Speaking of warrior spirit, ‘UFC 313 ‘Embedded,’ No. 2‘ vlog finds a bald Pereira donning his indigenous Pataxó headwear. Vlog No.1 saw an archer Pereira aim his usual battle stance for promo shoots and aim at detractors. Come UFC 313, the champion can end fight week on a high note.

UFC 313 pre-fight facts, figures, and tidbits: “Poatan” up for more

Alex Pereira is one of the nine (and the quickest) to reach double-championship status in UFC in two weight classes. Randy Couture, B.J. Penn, Conor McGregor, Georges St. Pierre, Daniel Cormier, Henry Cejudo, Amanda Nunes, and Jon Jones tout the feat before him. “Poatan” needed 11 MMA fights and 7 UFC ballot appearances before the feat, which is the least by far.

Alex Pereira posing up for more records after UFC 313
Alex Pereira posing up for more records after UFC 313 (Source: X)

The Brazilian fighter is 1/7 names to log three UFC title defenses in a calendar year. Kamaru Usman and Demetrious Johnson are other such big names who did it before him. However, Pereira’s 175 days is the shortest span between the three. Previously, it used to be Ronda Rousey at 189 days.

Pereira’s three consecutive UFC title defenses are only behind the promotion’s No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter, Islam Makhachev [4]. His five-fight UFC winning streak at the 205-pound mark lies only behind Carlos Ulberg. Another win ties him with Makhachev and brings him closer to the biggest win active win streak in the weight class.

A proper brand superstar, he also tied for most appearances since October 2021, up until UFC 307. Subsequently, the kickboxer “Poatan” also lands 67.2 percent of his significant strike attempts. It is the biggest stat yet at the UFC light heavyweight competition. Come UFC 313, he could stretch on it even more.

Related: Team Khabib alerted with $200k bet for Alex Pereira vs Magomed Ankalaev ahead of UFC 313