Watch: Alex Pereira trains under legendary former UFC star for Israel Adesanya rematch
Alex Pereira is using all the help he can get to prepare for his rematch against Israel Adesanya. The UFC middleweight champion is set to face his long-time rival again at UFC 287 on April 8 and appears to have enlisted the help of legendary light heavyweight Chuck Liddell to help sharpen his weapons.
In their last meeting at UFC 281, Adesanya was up 39-37 on all three judges’ scorecards going into the fifth round, but 'Poatan' caught the Nigerian-born Kiwi against the cage in the final round and secured an impressive knockout win with a barrage of strikes to take home the 185-pound strap.
While Alex Pereira is already under the capable tutelage of former light heavyweight champion Glover Teixeira, it seems the hard-hitting Brazilian is bringing in outside help in the form of a trailblazing UFC Hall of Famer.
Chuck Liddell was recently seen guiding and advising Periera in a series of Instagram posts uploaded by the reigning middleweight champion.
Posting some training footage on Instagram, Alex Pereira wrote in the caption:
"Latest adjustments with @chuckliddell."
Liddell is often credited for helping bring MMA into mainstream sports, and 'The Iceman' holds victories over fighters like Tito Ortiz, Randy Couture, and Alistair Overeem. Considering his high-profile resume, Pereira shared a video of Liddlel and Glover Teixeira discussing some fight strategies and asked the fans:
"How much would you pay for this class?"
Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya: Marvin Vettori predicts upcoming middleweight title fight
Marvin Vettori recently weighed in on the highly-anticipated rematch between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya at UFC 287. The No.3-ranked middleweight contender has previously faced 'The Last Stylebender' twice in the cage, losing via decision on both occasions.
In a recent interview with Inside Fighting, 'The Italian Dream' was asked about his prediction for the upcoming middleweight title clash. Vettori claimed that he saw Adesanya losing at UFC 287 and then facing him for the third time, stating:
"Pereira. Pereira -- Pereira is going to beat him again. So, maybe that [Pereira] is another fight that I'd definitely like. Well, both guys [Pereira and Adesanya]; both guys for sure. But I'm saying [I could fight Adesanya] because maybe like, you know, like, I see Whittaker getting at Pereira first. So, maybe I get Adesanya after this fight."
Watch the full video below:
Israel Adesanya has faced Alex Pereira twice in the sport of kickboxing and once in MMA thus far, losing all three combat sports contests.
Meanwhile, Marvin Vettori was defeated by former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker via unanimous decision in September 2022. Vettori returned to the win column after defeating Roman Dolidze via unanimous decision in his last fight earlier this month.