Israel Adesanya is backing former foe Alex Pereira to retain his light heavyweight crown at UFC 313.
The pair shared a bitter rivalry stretching back to their kickboxing days but have ‘made peace’ since then.
GettyAdesanya and Pereira have fought each other four times[/caption]
Pereira is set to defend his 205lbs strap in a long-awaited clash with surging Russian contender Magomed Ankalaev on March 8.
‘Poatan’ has successfully defended his belt thrice, knocking out Jamahal Hill, Jiri Prochazka, and Khalil Rountree Jr.
But he faces arguably his toughest to date against Ankalaev, who is riding an 11-fight unbeaten streak (10 wins and a draw).
The former two-weight Glory kickboxing champion has mostly been matched up with strikers during his runs to the middleweight and light heavyweight crowns while Ankalaev is a world-class grappler, who several members of the MMA fraternity believe could be the Brazilian’s kryptonite.
Despite this, Adesanya didn’t hesitate before picking his former rival to get his hand raised.
When asked for his prediction ahead of his upcoming clash with Nassourdine Imamov on Saturday, Adesanya responded with Pereira’s signature phrase: “Poatana Chama.”
Before Pereira and Adesanya’s epic two-fight series in the UFC, the pair duke it out twice in kickboxing, with ‘Poatana’ coming out on top both times including a devastating knockout in their rematch.
Pereira’s trademark left hook rendered Adesanya unconscious in the third round of a fight he had been losing up until that point.
Shortly after the crushing defeat, Adesanya made the transition to MMA where he reigned supreme as UFC middleweight champion for three years.
Pereira followed suit a few years later and earned himself a shot at Adesanya’s title in 2022 after winning his first four fights in MMA’s premier promotion.
Much like their previous kickboxing bout, Adesanya was getting the better of proceedings for the majority of the contest until he was stopped on his feet in the fifth round by a powerful flurry.
The ebb and flow of their third fight meant an immediate rematch was called by the UFC.
And this time Adesanya levelled the score with two clubbing right hands that pulverised his adversary and put ‘The Last Style Benders’ demons to sleep.
The bad blood ran deep when they were fighting but these days they are now on talking terms.
“We talked two or three weeks ago in the DMs,” Adesanya told the Ariel Helwani show earlier this week.
“And he said to me [that he appreciated our rivalry] and I reciprocated it back.
“Why dwell on things that don’t serve you anymore? That’s how I feel.
” So he realizes that, and I’m appreciative that he appreciated that without me, that wouldn’t be possible, and I appreciate what he is doing right now, because he’s just wrecking dudes.
“All his fights are crazy, and it just makes me appreciate his game more.”
