UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden, headlined by Jiri Prochazka and Alex Pereira, was a huge success for the UFC. The PPV is now ranked 2nd in total gates at MSG behind UFC 205. Pereira defeated Prochazka with a second-round TKO to become the ninth two-division champion in the UFC.
Immediately after the victory, Pereira wasted no time calling his long-time rival, Israel Adesanya, who is on a self-imposed hiatus. Dana White provided his take on the callout in the post-fight press conference.
Dana White weighs in on Alex Pereira vs Israel Adesanya bout
Alex Pereira made quick work of Jiri Prochazka to win the UFC light heavyweight title in the main event of UFC 295. The victory made him the first to be champion in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. After the victory, Pereira called out Izzy to complete their trilogy in the UFC at light heavyweight division.
Dana White says making the Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya MMA trilogy bout is no layup. pic.twitter.com/CmaK7xpH9H
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) November 13, 2023
When asked about Pereira’s callout of Adesanysa, Dana White said , “Listen, anything is possible. I mean, Alex moved up a weight class. You know, I don’t see Izzy moving up a weight class, but I don’t know. We’ll see when Izzy comes back what he wants to do, where his head is.”
However, White is not completely against the idea of Adesanya and Pereira having their MMA trilogy at light heavyweight. “If he wanted to move up and fight Pereira again, you know, we’d probably do it. Probably give him a fight at that weight first. If he wins, then give him a shot. I don’t know. I wouldn’t say that we would never do it.”
Alex Pereira calls out Israel Adesanya
Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya have a storied rivalry that has spanned multiple combat sports. After going 2-0 against Adesanya in Glory Kickboxing, Pereira is now 1-1 against “The Last Stylebender” in the UFC’s middleweight division. Pereira was recently inducted into the Glory Kickboxing Hall of Fame.
“There’s a guy that, back in the days, he made some interview and said that I was going to be a guy to just stay in a bar. So that motivated me, and he rescued me from a bar to be here today. This guy said that he just wants to come back fighting in 2017. I think he’s a very talented guy. It’s a waste of talent, so I want to rescue him too to come here.” Pereira called out Adesanya in his post-fight interview.
“Poatan” was respectful in the callout and praised Adesanya for being a talented fighter who should not be sitting out during the prime of his career. “Adesanya, come to Daddy”, Pereira concluded his callout. Nevertheless, Dana White was not interested in an immediate fight between Adesanya and Pereira.
Adesanya responded to the callout on X, formerly Twitter, posting an edited picture of Alex Pereira on the canvas at UFC 287 with the caption, “Let It Go”, referencing the catchphrase, “Frozen like Elsa”. Nevertheless, Pereira in the post-fight interview clarified that his callout was respectful. Moreover, Pereira does not want Adesanya to stay on hiatus and he foresees the return of Adesanya in the near future.
Do Leave a comment about the potential bout between Adesanya and Pereira.
