Israel Adesanya calls Alex Pereira the most “overhyped” fighter on the UFC roster
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya called former kickboxing rival Alex Pereira the most “overhyped” fighter on the UFC roster.
Adesanya returns to the Octagon this Saturday in the main event of UFC 276 when he takes on top contender Jared Cannonier with the 185lbs belt on the line. For Adesanya, he is looking for another title defense at middleweight, where he owns a perfect 11-0 record in the UFC. Also on the UFC 276 main card is a middleweight bout between Pereira and Sean Strickland. Should Adesanya win his fight, and should Pereira win his fight, the most obvious fight to book next would be a third meeting in combat sports between the pair.
Remember, Adesanya and Pereira have previously fought twice in kickboxing, with Pereira winning twice, including once by knockout. A third fight between the two, but this time in MMA, makes a lot of sense. Of course, Pereira still has to get by a very stiff test in the form of Strickland. But should he win that fight, then it seems like obvious matchmaking to book Adesanya against Pereira, especially since Adesanya is not a fan.
Speaking to Kayo Sports in a recent interview, Adesanya was asked who the most overhyped fighter in the UFC is, and the UFC middleweight champion immediately said that it was Pereira, in his opinion.
“I’m gonna go with Alex Pereira, because I’ll make him look easy. Yeah, right now just enjoy the setup fights, enjoy the setup victories, you know? Yeah, that’s overhyped,” Adesanya said (via BJPenn.com).
Pereira has had two favorable matchups so far in the UFC, first defeating Andreas Michailidis via flying knee KO and then beating Bruno Silva in what was mostly a kickboxing match with MMA gloves. While they were both quality wins, it’s clear that Adesanya was not impressed and that he wants Pereira to show him something more.
Do you agree with Israel Adesanya that Alex Pereira is the most overhyped fighter on the UFC roster?
