Undisputed UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya has defended his decision to mock the son of arch-rival, Alex Pereira following his victory at UFC 287 last month, claiming he did the teenager “a favor”.
Adesanya, who headlined UFC 287 last month in a championship rematch against Brazilian striker, Pereira, managed to defeat the defending middleweight titleholder in a second round knockout win, reclaiming his undisputed crown.
The victory came as Adesanya’s first in his four-fight series against Pereira, having dropped his middleweight title to the Sao Paulo native at UFC 281 back in November of last year at Madison Square Garden.
In the immediate aftermath of his win over Pereira, City Kickboxing striker, Adesanya aimed a pointed celebration in the direction of Alessandro, Pereira, his opponent’s son, recreating his mocking celebration from a 2018 knockout loss Adesanya suffered under the GLORY Kickboxing banner.
Israel Adesanya stands by decision to mock Alex Pereira’s son at UFC 287
Receiving flak for his actions – most notably from former champion and past-opponent, Robert Whittaker, Adesanya was crticized for holding a grudge against the teenager, however, he has now claimed he did the youngster a favor by mocking his father’s stoppage defeat.
“I was just like, ‘Where is he [Alessandro Pereira]?’” Israel Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “I’m going to find him. And I see his kid then his sister, I think, was holding them. She was holding them because they were crying. So I was just like, bang.”
‘“He’s only a kid.’” And I’m like, ‘And the f*ck what?’” Israel Adesanya explained. “If I had a son and he came to the cage after 287 and then start to do that next to Pereira, I’d be like, ‘What the f*ck are you doing? Come here. Apologize – apologize to that man.’”
Furthermore, Adesanya claims Pereira should have scolded and cautioned his son for his actions, claiming he had taught Alessandro a “life lesson” to boot at UFC 287.
“Guy knocked me out in his home country and then you see your kid doing that and you don’t have the discipline to scold him and then again before [UFC] 281, you’re in your car and you’re like, ‘Look what my son did.’” Israel Adesanya explained. “If you’re not going to teach your kids manners and respect, I will.”
“I did him a favor,” Israel Adesanya continued. “I did that kid a favor. Now, he has a life lesson that he can hold on to forever and just remember that. I’m glad I did it. F*ck them kids.” (Transcribed by MMA Mania)
Engaging in a back-and-forth on social media this week, Adesanya claimed that quality of his knockout win over the Brazilian should gazump any of his three prior losses against Pereira throughout their lenghty combat sports spat.