Who is Alex Pereira, the only fighter to knock out UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya?
![Israel Adesanya(left) & Alex Pereira (right) [Image Credits- YouTube and @alexpoatanpereira on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/05/a10a9-16224452441536-800.jpg?w=500)
Israel Adesanya has positioned himself at the pinnacle of the combat sports circuit. An indomitable foe, the New Zealander has earned a reputation for being hard to stop.
Therefore, a fighter who has what it takes to outclass Israel Adesanya should be taken rather seriously.
Alex Pereira is a name that is often thrown around in conversations. However, the Brazilian's GLORY and Legacy Fighting Alliance achievements are not the key factors behind his inclusion in the discourse about combat sports.
'Po Atan' (Stone Hands) is best known for being one of the select few to have bested 'The Last Stylebender'.
What's more, he has done what barely a handful of fighters could even dream of. The Brazilian put Israel Adesanya to sleep in their second meeting after losing to the same fighter in a rather closely fought affair only a year earlier.
Also Read: "Just know... I'm a troll"- Israel Adesanya trolls Marvin Vettori ahead of UFC 263 rematch
When Alex Pereira wanted to complete a trilogy with Israel Adesanya
Fans, fighters, and purists of the sport can never really say no to a good trilogy. In addition to being a great way to stimulate the fans, a trilogy offers all the parties involved a sense of closure.
From a purely business standpoint, a trilogy fight generates a ton of business for the promotion, considering how fans only grow fonder of a matchup that brought them fireworks the first time around.
The balance of power concerning the relationship between Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya tips in favor of the former, owing to how he dominated the City Kickboxing prodigy.
In a previous interview, the Brazilian had expressed a deep desire to strike Adesanya's name off of his list by setting up a rematch, which would have marked the final edition of their trilogy saga. What's more, he was confident that he could overcome the Kiwi yet again, and this time for good.
“The only place in this world that Adesanya is better than me is in speaking English,” Pereira said.
Also Read: Watch: Israel Adesanya working on his wrestling ahead of UFC 263 fight against Marvin Vettori
Alex Pereira's prospects in MMA
Pereira's famed left hook gets the job done in kickboxing and MMA alike. What's more, his blisteringly accurate right hand packs a punch that could easily dismantle an opponent without having to land on the button.
If there is any takeaway from the Brazilian's short stint in MMA with a record of 3-1-0, it is that he still has a long way to go. Although he enjoyed a lot of success in the kickboxing circles, his outings in MMA were fraught with issues.
Considering how easily Pereira is easily backed into the cage, the Brazilian would do well to take lessons on defending incoming knees and clinch control. This rings especially true considering that defending takedown attempts isn't one of Pereira's strengths. However, there are no issues that the right kind of coaching and a little bit of luck can't solve.
Given how his last outing went against Thomas Powell back in November 2020, one could still lobby for his move to the UFC so that Dana White could market a final showdown between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira.
Who do you think would emerge victorious if the two combatants were to butt heads in an MMA cage? Let us know in the comments!
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