Israel Adesanya shuts down potential Alex Pereira trilogy after UFC 287: 'Now it's settled'
MIAMI – Israel Adesanya doesn’t think he’ll be seeing Alex Pereira again.
Despite tying up the score in MMA, Adesanya (24-2 MMA, 13-2 UFC) doesn’t think there will be a trilogy bout with “Poatan.” Adesanya thinks their rivalry has reached its end now that he reclaimed the UFC middleweight title by knocking out Pereira (7-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC) in their rematch Saturday in the UFC 287 main event.
“I don’t keep score. I settle it, and now it’s settled,” Adesanya told reporters at the UFC 87 post-fight press conference. “I gave him a fast track to the belt. I could’ve said, ‘Naw, who’s he fought? He only fought one top five.’ But no. He did well. He fought some top guys. He beat (Sean) Strickland, and I was like, ‘Well, fine, There’s no one else.’
“I was looking for that challenge. He beat me in kickboxing and I got the immediate rematch because of what I’ve done in the game. … I did the hard yard and I earned my f*cking rematch. Now he has to do the hard yard and earn it, but I don’t think he’s going to. Go cause problems at 205. He’s a motherf*cker to deal with, I’ll tell you that.”
Adesanya not only shut down the idea of a trilogy bout with Pereira, but also didn’t want to look at what may be ahead. He was solely focused on Pereira and for now will think about enjoying life.
“I’n not thinking of anything like that,” Adesanya said. “That’s the last question. I’ve been a good boy, so now it’s time to be a bad boy in Miami.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 287.