UFC middleweight Alex Pereira is expecting the past to repeat itself this weekend. He defeated the middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, twice back when they were fighting for GLORY kickboxing, and the pair are set to headline UFC 281 this Saturday night. Speaking to Trocação Franca, Pereira pointed out that he believes he is “better” than Adesanya, who he claimed is “mentally shook” at the prospect of facing “Poatan”.
“Right after I got in the UFC he said he would like to fight me maybe after four fights but ‘calm down’. He wanted [to fight me], but only after I did four fights. Why? He had in his mind I could lose to someone and he would say, ‘Is that the guy you want me to fight?’ I never believed that, but some people did. Others realize now he was bluffing. That’s not what he wants.
Pereira Claims He’s “Better” than “Mentally Shook” Adesanya
Right after it was announced that my next fight would be for the belt against him, he and his whole team said it was a bit unfair that I was fighting for the belt because I just got here, that Adesanya did so many fights and I should do the same. Man, I’m just hearing that and taking it as something positive for me. That shows me he pretended he wanted [to fight me] and when I got here, his whole team was against it. That shows all of them, he and his team are mentally shook.”
Pereira continued, making the case for why he will be a shoo-in to take the W this weekend. “If you look at what I’ve done, being double champion at the biggest organization in GLORY, is something Adesanya has tried and lost to fighters I beat.
We know it’s very hard to become champion in Glory. I had five title defenses and became champion at light heavyweight. To transition to another sport and become champion?
An example. Adesanya loses to me and I’m UFC champion. I’m better because I was champion in two divisions in another sport, and the history I have, and champion in the biggest organizations [Glory and UFC]. He was only champion in the UFC — which is a lot, a lot — [but] I would consider my career to be tougher than his.
This is my point of view. I don’t know if people see it that way, but I do because I know what I’ve been through and the toughness I had to face. He knows that too, because he tried and couldn’t do it.”
What’s your prediction for Adesanya vs Pereira this weekend?
