The UFC 281 title-fight main event between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira is a unique one.
Yes, Adesanya is the middleweight champion, but how could he possibly feel like the man to beat given his history with Pereira? Pereira owns two wins over Adesanya in two previous kickboxing bouts, one of them being a knockout, and it’s clear those two losses still weigh heavy on the champ.
Heading into UFC 281, Adesanya has flat-out said “f*ck the belt” and that simply beating Pereira on this biggest stage is “what matters.”
