Israel Adesanya’s next fight may be more than just a title defence – it could yet be an exorcism.
For in the main event of UFC 281 on Saturday night, the middleweight champion will look to avoid a haunting from an old ghost.
Fight cards as loaded as this one, which is set to play out at New York City’s historic Madison Square Garden, sometimes explode into life from the opening bout. On other occasions, they simmer before boiling over as the night reaches its climax. Whichever trend UFC 281 follows, there will be plenty of heat when Adesanya faces off with his title challenger, but the “Last Stylebender” may just feel a chill as he stares down Alex Pereira.
It might be the memory of the last time the pair met, when Pereira put Adesanya out cold, pummeling a left hook through “Stylebender”’s cheek and sending the Nigerian-born New Zealander plummeting to the canvas. That shot neatly wrapped up a kickboxing rivalry, as Adesanya laid sprawled and messily on the mat, one year after suffering a decision loss to Pereira in 2016.
Adesanya’s second defeat by “Poatan” – a nickname meaning “Hands of Stone” – marked the 33-year-old’s final kickboxing bout before he resumed a mixed martial arts run that will one day be deemed historic, once enough time has passed. Adesanya, who debuted in MMA in 2012, had compiled an 11-0 record entirely composed of knockout wins by the time the UFC came calling in 2018.
Just 18 months later, he claimed undisputed status at 185lbs, a status he has retained with five straight successful title defences. Adesanya’s sole defeat in MMA came last year, when he was outpointed while challenging for light heavyweight gold. Despite failing to join an exclusive group of elite fighters who have won UFC titles at two weights, Adesanya’s legacy is already secured.
In his last outing, Adesanya outpointed Jared Cannonier in July to remain middleweight champion, but the title holder’s disappointment at failing to knock out his opponent was such that he cried in his locker room after the fight. “I don’t hold onto things, I let myself feel them,” Adesanya said on The MMA Hour this Monday. “People try to deny things and block it, [but] if you fight your emotions, they’ll get you later on. So, I feel it. I cried backstage. Me and Eugene [Bareman, coach] hugged it out.”
Fans had criticised Adesanya’s performance for being lacklustre; moviestar and UFC fan Chris Pratt did so, to Adesanya’s bemusement. The bout pitted Adesanya’s dynamism against Cannonier’s dynamite, and the “Last Stylebender” dampened the fuse, as energy flooded from the arena before Adesanya’s emotions washed over him.
Not an hour prior, Pereira had brought the same crowd to its feet by taking Sean Strickland off of his, the Brazilian ending the American’s own run towards the title. The contrast was stark, as was Pereira’s message for Adesanya: “Poatan” was coming. Now, he is here.
Pereira’s MMA career has been short; his UFC venture even briefer. The 35-year-old is 6-1 in the sport, having followed a points loss in his debut with six straight victories – five of them KOs. It has been an impressive run, but one that would not have secured Pereira a title shot had it not been for his history with Adesanya. Pereira has beaten just one top-10 opponent but is already ranked fourth in the division. It was a factor noted by Adesanya’s coach Eugene Bareman on The MMA Hour this week.
“It’s just ridiculous that someone would get a title shot [so quickly]," he said. “There’s history with Israel, and the story and the UFC. Hate it or love it, Dana [White, UFC president] has to promote fights. That’s one thing they do really well. They picked up this history, picked up this would be a great fight that’s going to bring a lot of eyes, and strategically pushed Alex so he could fight for the title. We’ll have to see on Saturday if he’s being rushed too early, and if they should’ve been more patient.”
Patience has been Adesanya’s primary tool in recent wins, the last four of which have come via decision, to the dismay of the champion himself – and certainly to the dismay of fans. Challengers feel they must chase Adesanya, whose counter-striking has thus far killed off any hope his opponents have had. The champion will be keen to record a more emphatic victory on Saturday, but Pereira knows Adesanya’s game better than anyone. Similarly, “Stylebender” knows Pereira’s power as well as anybody.
It remains to be seen whether Adesanya will employ elements of his skillset that have thus far been unnecessary in his MMA career – offensive grappling, namely – and whether that would be a sign of faltering confidence or simply strategic acumen.
“I know something you don’t,” was Adesanya’s message earlier this week. We will all know more come Saturday night, as the “Last Stylebender” seeks to hang on to his gold and exorcise a ghost.
