“Gives Izzy power over him,” UFC legend claims Alex Pereira challenging Israel Adesanya shifts power in latter’s hand

Daniel Cormier deliberates on the "Poatan" and his move to callout Israel Adesanya from the mountaintop.

“Gives Izzy power over him,” UFC legend claims Alex Pereira challenging Israel Adesanya shifts power in latter’s hand

Daniel Cormier weighs in on Alex Pereira calling out Israel Adesanya (Source: Twitter/ IMAGO)

Brazilian Alex Pereira made a mistake calling out Israel Adesanya, according to Daniel Cormier. Pereira, at 9-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC, defeated Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295, recently. He then went on to call out Adesanya. Adesanya provided the “Poatan” a prime career skid, which Pereira considers unresolved. Pereira has already accomplished the feat of becoming a two-weight division champion (ninth within the UFC).

Adesanya claimed he was living “rent-free” in Pereira’s head and disregarded and laughed off Pereira’s call. The Last Stylebender defeated Pereira at UFC 287. But he is now on a lengthy self-inflicted layoff after suffering a loss to Sean Strickland. Cormier thinks the “Poatan” is already ahead; hence this callout only gives Adesanya back his power. He said, on his YouTube channel:

My thought on the whole rivalry over accomplishment, for me, is I think he’s a little wrong to be looking back at Izzy. Because you know what he does? He gives Izzy power over him. Izzy’s just sitting on the couch watching. You saw Izzy’s reaction. He’s laughing at him...
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Ben Askren, who co-hosts Funky & The Champ with Cormier, claimed that despite defeating Adesanya three times in kickboxing and MMA, Pereira wants to have the last laugh. But Cormier begs to differ on the strategy overall, as Pereira is already on top now.

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Pereira follows suit of Randy Couture, B.J. Penn, Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier, Georges St-Pierre, Amanda Nunes, and Henry Cejudo with his win. His win over Prochazka makes him the new two-weight division champion. He is coincidentally also the fastest to achieve so, within a span of just seven fights.

Alex Pereira calls the retirement of Israel Adesanya a waste of talent

Alex Pereira has a feeling he has unfinished business with Israel Adesanya. After defeating Jiri Prochazka, the new UFC light heavyweight champion called for the resolution of his conflict with Adesanya.

Pereira stopped Prochazka through TKO in the second round of their bout. Daniel Cormier, amongst others, like peer Jan Blachowicz has not supported the callout. Cormier and a few fans think that this gives unnecessary power to Adesanya.

Israel Adesanya Alex Pereira
Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira (Source: Bleacher Report)

But Pereira, on the other hand, aims at just that. He has commended Adesanya as a fighter and said his sabbatical (until 2027) is a waste of talent. Conversely, Adesanya is fresh off a title loss at the hands of Sean Strickland, at UFC 293. Pereira talked about it at the UFC 295 post-fight conference. He explained through a translation medium:

I meant what I said over there. I think I owe this to Adesanya. He motivated me first, and the whole thing with him staying out all this time until 2027, I think it’s a waste of talent. I think I can bring him back...

Pereira, 36, is a former two-division champion in the Glory Kickboxing organization and was recently inducted into the promotion’s Hall of Fame. He now has a 3-0 record at MSG. With his recent title victory, he is way ahead of finding back a fateful opponent in Adesanya.

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