With a landslide victory over Alex Pereira in a title rematch, Israel Adesanya doesn’t think their mixed martial arts rivalry is destined to become a trilogy.
“I don’t keep score – I needed to get even, and I got even,” the reigning UFC middleweight champion told a post-UFC 287 press conference. “I gave him a fast track to the title. I could say, ‘No, who did he fight? He only fought one of the top five, but I didn’t. He did well, beat Sean Strickland, and I said, ‘Okay, there’s nobody else anyway'”
According to the Nigerian, he agrees with the president of the UFC, who suggested that the Brazilian will not remain in the middleweight division and move to the light heavyweight category.
“I was looking for this challenge. He beat me in kickboxing and I got an immediate rematch because I have some merit in this game. Now he needs to earn it, but I don’t think he’s going to do it. Let him go to light heavyweight and create problems there. He’s a bastard that’s very hard to deal with, you can trust me.”
At the same time, Adesanya evaded answering the question of who will be his next opponent.
“I don’t think about it now. This is the last question that worries me at the moment. I’ve been a good boy and now it’s time to be a bad boy and have a good time in Miami.”
The title fight in the middleweight division, which led the number event in Miami, ended at around 4:21 of the second round with a victory for Israel Adesanya by knockout.
Source: https://fighttime.ru/news/item/31258-israel-adesanya-ne-sobiraetsya-zavershat-trilogiyu-s-aleksom-perejroj.html?rand=19907
