Israel Adesanya has two-word prediction for rival Alex Pereira’s battle against Magomed Anakalaev
UFC veteran Israel Adesanya predicts Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev light heavyweight championship bout at UFC 313.
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Israel Adesanya believes Alex Pereira will beat Magomed Ankalaev (via Imago)
Alex Pereira is all set to make his comeback against the top light heavyweight challenger at UFC 313. The Brazilian will go against Magomed Ankalaev, a fight that has been on the table for a long time. Going into the fight, the Russian has issued stern warnings. However, according to Israel Adesanya, the result is quite obvious.
Israel Adesanya and Pereira have come a long way since sharing one of the most lethal rivalries in UFC history. Both compete in different weight classes now, and have frequently shown respect towards each other. In a recent interview, Izzy was asked to predict Pereira vs. Ankalaev, and his response was quick and direct.
Poatan. Chama.
Israel Adesanya via UFC Saudi Arabia Media day
Alex Pereira is currently on a 5-fight win streak and has dominated most of his opponents with ease. The knockout artist has the raw power to drop anyone and he showed the same last year by getting three TKO wins. The fighting style and unmatched activity as a champion make ‘Poatan’ a fan favorite.
Izzy picks Poatan to beat Ankalaev 🗿
— Full Violence ™ (@Full_Violence) January 29, 2025
(via UFC) pic.twitter.com/zgaAPOyAWu
Magomed Ankalaev, on the other hand, doesn’t believe in the aura surrounding the champion and has sworn to end it. Being from Russia, many experts are curious about his ability to use his wrestling against Pereira. In the past, Adesanya was the only one who exposed the lack of wrestling prowess of Pereira.
Israel Adesanya talks about his epic rivalry with Alex Pereira
Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya‘s rivalry spans kickboxing and MMA, with Pereira winning three times before Izzy finally defeated him once. Their first kickboxing fight ended in Pereira’s decision victory, while their rematch saw him brutally knocking out Adesanya. In their UFC 281 clash, Adesanya dominated early, but got stopped by Poatan’s signature left hook in the final round.
Adesanya finally won at UFC 287, knocking Pereira out in the second round and dramatically reclaiming the UFC middleweight championship. After all this, the pair now have developed a new and wholesome relationship. In a recent interview, the former middleweight champion shared his thoughts on the rivalry.
God blessed me with a great opponent like Alex Pereira. He blessed me with a great challenge like that. And it’s easy to say that now on this side, but f**k, you know, it takes a lot to take on that man and I always knew that we would have history, and I always knew I could best him. And I’m glad God blessed me with that challenge to be able to rise to the occasion.
Israel Adesanya via The Ariel Helwani Show
Pereira has frequently thanked Izzy for motivating him to join UFC and become a global superstar. From working from a tire shop, the Brazilian fighter has come a long way. At UFC 313, the Brazilian will have massive support from his fans to overcome another daunting challenge in the UFC.
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Ameetosh Dash
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