Israel Adesanya reveals reason for not training with Alex Pereira: “Now it’s not the time…”
After Robert Whittaker friendship, Israel Adesanya gives final verdict on potential link with Alex Pereira after riveting UFC/MMA rivalry.
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UFC middleweight Israel Adesanya sees himself training with Alex Pereira one day (Source: IMAGO)
Israel Adesanya has had a reformed perspective about once-rival Alex Pereira in recent times. Adesanya doesn’t expect to fight Pereira again. The pair have fought twice under kickboxing rules and twice under the UFC banner. However, the Kiwi-Nigerian is getting into a new leniency fold and even trained with another old rival – Robert Whittaker. Hence, he isn’t saying no to Pereira either.
Israel Adesanya had what he calls a very natural get-together and training with Whittaker at City Kickboxing NZ gym. It’s a setting that the combat sports clique has long wanted for Izzy and the stoic but historically humble Alex Pereira. Gone are the days where the former UFC 185-pound champ would take a mickey out of defeating him, once. Adesanya is thus somewhat open to training with him in future.
Yeah definitely down the road. Me and Alex, …I’ve already said – I got what I wanted from that fight. I think the MMA world just gets greedy and tries to ruin a good thing because they want more. Never knowing when to quit. That’s why you shouldn’t gamble. But yeah, eventually it will, but right now it’s not that time…He lives so far away, the opportunity hasn’t arisen. We still have guys like Carlos [Ulberg] in the trenches, working hard, getting ready for his next fight.
Israel Adesanya to Damon Martin (🎥 @DamonMartin) for MMAFighting on SBN
“Poatan” defeated his rival at UFC 281, and Adesanya reclaimed the undisputed gold with a 2nd round KO at UFC 287 PPV. Pereira is 3-1 in MMA and GLORY Kickboxing having defeated Israel Adesanya. After their second fight, the duo hugged it out.
Israel Adesanya would absolutely train with AlexPereira in the future:
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) January 24, 2025
"Eventually, but right now it’s not that time. …We still have guys like Carlos Ulberg in the trenches, getting ready for his next fight so he can become a No. 1 contender."
(🎥 @DamonMartin) pic.twitter.com/lN7kjc2mOR
Recent times have seen “Last Stylebender” even praise Alex Pereira and go with the money line, favoring him to win. However, intermingling camps would have to wait for now. UFC light heavyweight and City Kickboxing’s own Carlos Ulberg has aspirations to face Pereira in the near future. So, it’s be a conflict of interests right now.
Ulberg (12-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) is on a seven-fight win streak since his UFC debut loss. His most recent win was a unanimous decision over former title challenger Volkan Oezdemir at UFC Macau in 2024. While Izzy is putting this alliance on a hold, Robert Whittaker was a more favorable case.
Israel Adesanya talks ‘organic’ linking up with once former UFC foe Robert Whittaker
The new-found friendship between Israel Adesanya and “Reaper” has put a smile on the MMA community facade. Adesanya (24-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) has twice defeated Whittaker for the UFC 185-pound championship. But, now that he has other plans and is fighting his first non-title fight in a while, it’s different. The pair recently reunited on the mats at City Kickboxing in New Zealand.
Izzy said it’s him and Team City Kickboxing that extended the offer. But Whittaker gladly accepted the linkup. Robert Whittaker quipped on The Ariel Helwani Show that he’d have hit him with a car back when he and Adesanya were dueling for the strap. Adesanya founds the discourse funny.
It was just organic, …His coach hit up my coach, and Eugene asked me. I was like, ‘Of course – he can pull up any time.’ …Definitely you can feel his energy in the room, even though he’s just a chill guy. It was nice to exchange with him, and sit down with him, break bread with him…He’s being funny, [hitting with car] Yeah, the tension was high, but we always knew we’d get along. We’re just two chill guys. But yeah, that’s funny.
Israel Adesanya to MMAJunkie’s Mike Bohn in a media round facilitated by Stake.com/OnlyFans
The duo even weighed in on the upcoming Du Plessis vs. Strickland 2 PPV event on Adesanya’s YouTube Channel. Adesanya will look to snap a two-fight slump when he takes on Nassourdine Imavov (15-4 MMA, 7-2 UFC) soon. He meets him February 1 in the UFC Saudi Arabia headliner at ANB Arena in Riyadh.
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