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The rivalry between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira is one of the most intriguing in modern MMA, tracing back to their days in kickboxing. The two fighters have faced off multiple times, with Pereira holding the upper hand in most of their encounters. While the UFC record between them stands at 1-1, Pereira leads overall with three victories to Adesanya’s one. One of these losses had a significant impact on Adesanya, leaving him in financial trouble and questioning his future.
During an appearance on Joe Rogan’s “JRE MMA Show #164,” Adesanya opened up about a tough period in his career after his first loss to Pereira. At that time, he revealed that his promotion in China stopped giving him fights after the defeat, which left him struggling financially. He recounted how, at one point, he had only around $500 left and was desperate for opportunities to fight, asking his promotion to at least fulfill the remaining fights on his contract.
Adesanya shared how his coach, Eugene Bareman, stepped in during this difficult time. One day, Bareman told Adesanya to check his bank account, where he found that his coach had sent him some money to help him out. Adesanya was deeply moved by the gesture and became emotional.
Years later, Adesanya is now one of the wealthiest fighters in MMA, with multiple business ventures backing him. However, following recent losses to Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis, some wonder if he might be facing similar challenges again.
Adesanya on His Return and Future Plans
Adesanya is widely recognized as one of the best middleweight fighters in the world, but his recent form has been rocky. After back-to-back losses, fans and analysts alike are curious about his next steps. During the podcast, Adesanya shared that he’s taking his time before returning to the octagon, noting that even though he no longer holds the belt, he’s still a prominent figure in the UFC. He mentioned he might return by the end of this year or early next year, depending on the opportunities that arise.
Adesanya was one of the most active champions during his reign and remains the only UFC fighter to have defeated Pereira inside the cage. However, his frequent activity may have contributed to his recent setbacks. While Pereira has moved on to new challenges, Adesanya now faces the task of rebounding from losses to Strickland and Du Plessis, with Strickland likely to get a title rematch soon.
As for Adesanya, he could be matched up against a top contender like Nassourdine Imavov or Caio Borralho next, or possibly face the winner or loser of the upcoming Khamzat Chimaev vs. Robert Whittaker fight at UFC 308. While his championship reign was eventful, Adesanya’s next chapter as a contender promises to be just as captivating.
