MIAMI – It seemed as soon as viewers had a millisecond to digest Israel Adesanya’s knockout victory Saturday over Alex Pereira at UFC 287, questions emerged about a trilogy meeting in MMA between the two rivals.
Following the conclusion of the main event, UFC president Dana White, who sits at matchmaking mission control, was asked if a rubber match between the two rivals is next, considering the lifetime series is tied at one win apiece. White, however, thinks it may not even be an option.
“Honestly, I think that Pereira probably moves to 205 after this fight,” White told MMA Junkie and other reporters at a news conference. “He’s a monster. I know that he still had two pounds to cut leading up to when there was like an hour left in weigh-ins. Yeah. I’m not saying he’s moving to 205, but I’d assume he is. You guys can ask him, himself. But it wouldn’t surprise me. … I would bet anything he moves to 205 after this fight.”
