Israel Adesanya's showmanship won't affect "cold" Alex Pereira, feels UFC women's strawweight fighter
UFC women's strawweight fighter Amanda Ribas has backed fellow Brazilian Alex Pereira to cause a major upset at UFC 281 this coming weekend against Israel Adesanya.
Saturday's main event pits long-time rivals Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira against each other for the middleweight title. The pair have a history that dates back to their time as professional kickboxers. Adesanya and Pereira fought twice, with the Brazilian getting the victory on both occasions.
In the second fight, 'Poatan' knocked 'The Last Stylebender' out. It remains the only time the middleweight champion has been finished throughout his fighting career.
In a recent interview with Sherdog, Amanda Ribas gave her a breakdown of the upcoming title fight. According to the 29-year-old, Pereira isn't going to be overwhelmed by the occasion or Adesanya's showmanship:
"It will be a good match. It is a good match! 'Poatan' is cold and calculated. This is what I think will be the difference. He can see the good points and he can throw the good punches. I think Adesanya will do a little show and do something a little different, but 'Poatan' is really cold. This will be good for him and I see him getting his arm raised to the top at the end."
Catch the full interview with Amanda Ribas here:
Israel Adesanya explains why his striking is better suited to MMA than kickboxing
While there is certainly a discussion amongst fans about who will win the upcoming middleweight title fight, the odds appear to favor Israel Adesanya, on paper.
'The Last Stylebender' is often revered as having the highest level of striking in the organization. Although it doesn't always end in a finish, the champ's ability to piece apart his opponents from range and control distance is the reason why he's been relatively untested at the top of the game.
The Nigerian-New Zealander's undefeated run at middleweight (12-0) is a testament to his skills in the octagon.
UFC 281's main event is predicted to be a striking battle between the two rivals, but Adesanya believes his style is better suited to the octagon than Pereira's. In an interview with TMZ Sports, Adesanya said:
"The way you attack is different, it's kind of stupid sometimes. No disrespect to kickboxing or some of the styles. But I feel like sometimes they fight aggression with aggression. And it's not always the best way to fight. I'm too calculated and smart for that. I always felt my style of striking was better suited for MMA. For the glove size but also the freeness of attack"
Catch Israel Adesanya's interview here: