Israel Adesanya has promised to use tonight’s UFC 287 fight against middleweight champion Alex Pereira to remind everyone how good he is in the octagon.
“Not many people have the opportunity to demonstrate their greatness and rise to the occasion when the odds are stacked against them.” “I feel like the underdog,” Adesanya said in an interview with BBCSports yesterday. “People have goldfish memories because of what happened in the last fight.” They’ve forgotten what I’ve accomplished in this game, and it’s time to show them how great I am.”
Adesanya, from Odogbolu, Ogun State, believes his rivalry with Pereira has the potential to be the “greatest storyline in MMA history.”
The fighters square off for the fourth time tonight at UFC 287 in Miami, with Pereira winning all three previous meetings.
The 35-year-old Brazilian has won twice in kickboxing and once in MMA, winning the UFC title in November.
His most recent victory ended Adesanya’s three-year reign over the division.
Adesanya lost kickboxing fights to Pereira in 2016 and 2017, the latter defeat being his final appearance in the sport before switching to MMA full-time.
As he attempts to reclaim the middleweight title, Adesanya is drawing inspiration from American rapper Eminem.
“I’m down two kickboxing fights and one MMA fight.” “This is my one shot, my Eminem moment,” Adesanya explained. “You only get one shot. Don’t blow your opportunity. This opportunity comes only once in a lifetime.
“What if I do it better than he has ever done it?” I don’t keep score; I settle them, and whoever laughs the loudest laughs the loudest.”
“I know how I’m going to beat this guy,” he added. “Every time I fight this guy, I’m dominating him, but he has this special ability to recover and put his foot on the gas, so I have to find a way to get him out of the driver’s seat, which I will,” Adesanya said.