Respect was shown between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira after UFC 287.
Time will tell if UFC 287 ended the rivalry between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira, but they certainly have respect for one another.
After two fights in kickboxing and one in MMA, all of which saw Pereira getting his hand raised, some may think at first glance that he was the better fighter heading into his MMA rematch with Adesanya, at UFC 287. “Poatan” may be the only person to have knocked out “The Last Stylebender,” doing so in both sports, but in all three contests, it seemed that Adesanya was actually the more technically skilled competitor.
Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira Share Moment of Respect
The Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira rivalry would come to a head at UFC 287, with Izzy looking to regain his belt and prove that he is actually better than Pereira. In the end, he would do precisely that, getting the second round knockout over his foe.
Considering the extent of their competitive natures, it would come as little surprise to hear that Adesanya and Pereira still have beef after this fight. However, not only was the two-time champ respectful in his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, but video emerged on Twitter showing the two athletes having a truly respectful moment backstage, in Miami, Florida.
“You’re a great champion, and forever. Doesn’t matter what anyone else says, you’re always a champion. You’ll always have that, and I’ll always respect you” Adesanya can be heard saying to Pereira, with the help of a translator.
Although there is an argument to be made that there is still unsettled business between these two, it would appear that the rivalry between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira has come to a close, at least for now. It is always nice to see these high-level athletes showing respect to one another, in victory and defeat.