GLORY middleweight and interim light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira doesn’t believe Israel Adesanya wants to face him a third time.
Pereira holds two wins over Adesanya from their GLORY days and notably holds the distinction of being the only combat sports athlete to knock the UFC middleweight champion out.
And with Adesanya’s continued success — having most recently put away Paulo Costa with ease at UFC 253 earlier this month — more and more observers are eager to see Pereira face him in a mixed martial arts fight.
When it comes to the Costa fight specifically, Pereira was impressed but always believed it was bad matchup for the Brazilian stylistically.
“Even before Adesanya fought Borrachinha, I said in interviews it’d be a tough fight,” Pereira told BJ Penn. “I fought Adesanya twice and I know how dangerous he is. He’s tough, very smart, agile, a complete fighter as a kickboxer, and in MMA.
“Paulo had been doing a great job so far in his career and could win that fight, but it was a bad style matchup for him. He needed to do some changes.”
As far as a third fight with Adesanya is concerned? It is definitely possible in the future, especially as Pereira has expressed a desire to venture into the world of MMA.
Whether “The Last Stylebender” is interested remains to be seen, though.
“I don’t think Adesanya would be interested in that fight,” Pereira added. “I beat him twice and I’m the only man to KO him. We never know what the future holds. It could happen someday.”
Pereira, however, certainly believes he can knock him out again.
Do you think we’ll see the trilogy?