Alex Pereira claims he is willing to cut back down to middleweight to finally settle the score with long time rival, Israel Adesanya.
Just three month following his brutal knockout loss, Pereira made his successful return to the Octagon, this stime up at light-heavyweight. ‘Poatan’ would overcome early grappling problems against Jan Blachowicz, earing a hard-fought three round decision.
The win has now set him up to fight for the vacant light-heavyweight title later this year, but the Adesanya MMA trilogy is still on his mind.
Alex Pereira Vs. Israel Adesanya trilogy
It was clear that a move up in weight was needed for the Brazilian, it is honestly still surprising how he made middleweight in the first place. Even compared to Blachowicz, a fully fledged light-heavyweight, he was still a couple of inches taller and looked all of the 205lb limit.
During post-fight media duties, Pereira acknowledged that the move was due.
“Before my last fight happened when I made weight, I told the guys that I was going to be taking a break from (middleweight). It was getting hard a little bit, too many (weight cuts) in a short span of time,” said Pereira. (H/T BloodyElbow)
While Pereira is set to challenge, and is focused on becoming the 205lb champion, the Brazilian still has the middleweight crown at the back of his mind. The 36-year-old said that he is willing to make the cut in order to face Adesanya for a third time in MMA – claiming that it is the ‘fair’ thing to do.
“Right now, I’m focused on this division. I want to be champion of this division, then I have some business to solve,” Pereira said.
“I went up to light heavyweight, do one more fight, take some time from all those cuts, and then (go back to middleweight). (Adesanya and I) are 1-1 at middleweight. Nothing’s more fair than to make the trilogy at middleweight.”
Would you like to see Alex Pereira Vs. Israel Adesanya at middleweight or light-heavyweight?