Alex Pereira supports Israel Adesanya ahead of the UFC 305 main event against Dricus Du Plessis.
Adesanya (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) gets the chance to become the first three-time middleweight champion in history when he challenges Du Plessis (21-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) for the belt in the main event on Aug. 17 at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.
“The Last Stylebender” turns 35 next week and could get his last shot at a UFC title if things don’t go well. It’s a huge moment for Adesanya and the biggest rival of his career likely wants to see him succeed and win UFC gold again.
Pereira (11-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC), who has fought Adesanya four times in combat sports – 2-0 in kickboxing and 1-1 in MMA – wants to see him flourish against Du Plessis.
“They asked me about Adesanya and Du Plessis – I said I don’t think Adesanya will lose,” Pereira said on his YouTube channel. “Just because he said that about me doesn’t mean I’m going to say it back. It’s what I think. I don’t think he’ll lose this fight. I hope he wins because he’s got a great story. I think he needs to continue his story. He’s not a young guy.”
Pereira, 37, has said in the past that he would be open to training with Adesanya and harbors no ill will despite their history. There has been plenty of banter between the two parties in recent years, but with Adesanya fighting for the 185-pound belt and Pereira currently ruling the light heavyweight division as UFC champion, there is no reason for conflict.
Adesanya has been betting against Pereira of late. His prediction that Jamahal Hill would win UFC 300 and Jiri Prochazka would dethrone the Brazilian at UFC 303 failed to materialize.
Pereira, however, won’t make the same kind of prediction. Instead, he said he hopes Adesanya gets his hand raised at UFC 305.
“I’m here, to support him,” Pereira said. “I’ve fought him before, I’m not going to tell him to lose. I’m not angry with him. No grudge. Like I said, if it’s ever possible to train with him, exchange knowledge. Behind the scenes, we hear a lot of things about Adesanya. A lot of people talk about him, like, ‘He’s this, he’s bad’ and what not.
“The people who really know him and who I’ve been in contact with, they talk well about him. He has a good heart. A lot of times it’s just marketing. I believe that. I see that he’s a good person. That’s why I’m here, to encourage him. If he doesn’t encourage me, that’s not my problem. But I’m here, to encourage him.”
For more information on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s UFC 305 event hub.
The story originally appeared on MMA Junkie
