UFC 281: ADESANYA vs. PEREIRA

By: Julio Olmo

UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is excited by the challenge of facing Alex Pereira.

Adesanya (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) will look to notch his sixth title defense when he takes on Pereira (6-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the main event of UFC 281 on Nov. 12 at Madison Square Garden in New York. Having lost to Pereira twice in kickboxing, including once by knockout, Adesanya is motivated to avenge those losses.

Adesanya’s losses to Pereira came over five years. “The Last Stylebender” has moved past those setbacks and vows that Pereira is in for a different challenge in MMA.

“Beating him, that’s what matters,” Adesanya says “Just beating him, a killer like him, that’s what matters.”

“We’ve dusted that off, we’ve cut it off, and I can see what I did wrong,” Adesanya said. “So, it’s not gonna be like last time. This is a different fighter you’re facing, and now I’ve become another fighter. I’ve re-birthed myself. I’ve re-birthed it, and I just feel like I want to have fun. That’s the goal. But this fight, I’m gonna have fun. That’s the ultimate goal. And when I have fun, I’m the best in the world.”