The history between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira is not merely a chapter in combat sports; it is a meticulously written technical dossier spanning two disciplines and four defining bouts. This rivalry, characterized by spectacular finishes and fluctuating dominance, recently reached an unexpected philosophical conclusion, offered by the former UFC middleweight king, Adesanya.
In a statement that shifts the narrative from heated personal animosity to profound professional respect, Adesanya revealed a surprisingly generous sentiment toward the only man who has repeatedly posed an existential threat to his career: he sincerely hopes Alex Pereira “never loses again — and retires undefeated.”
Four Fights, Two Sports, One Defining Saga
The competitive history between the Nigerian-born kickboxer and the Brazilian striking powerhouse is statistically brutal. Across their kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts encounters, Pereira initially held a seemingly insurmountable 3-0 lead. Adesanya, forever the technical purist, was the only one who broke the code, delivering a spectacular knockout in their final middleweight clash.
This history of repeated setbacks made Adesanya’s eventual victory not just a reclamation of the title, but a victory over a personal specter. Yet, Adesanya insists that the drama was never fueled by personal hatred, but by a precise, technical challenge.
“For me, it was never personal. I just knew that I was the only one who could cause him serious damage technically.”
This perspective reframes the rivalry. It wasn`t a grudge match, but a high-stakes competitive experiment, testing the limits of two highly evolved strikers. The stakes were professional legacy, not personal vendetta.
The Proof in the Rematch
The most telling insight Adesanya offered regarding their competitive dynamic came in his explanation for seeking the immediate rematch after his devastating knockout loss to Pereira in 2022. The narrative surrounding Adesanya at the time was thick with doubt—a familiar chorus claiming he would avoid the man who seemed to possess his striking kryptonite.
Adesanya clarifies that his motivation to fight Pereira a fourth time was not ego, but a deliberate effort to control his own destiny and dismantle external limitations imposed by others.
“Back then, it was about other people. Because after he beat me, many said: `That`s it, Israel will never fight him again.` And I told [Dana White]: `Let me fight him once more,`”
This detail underscores a key technical mindset: Adesanya views external skepticism as a mathematical problem to be solved through action. He needed the rematch not merely to win, but to prove his strategic resilience was superior to public conjecture.
Respect Forged in Championship Fire
Following their final encounter, Pereira made the calculated move to light heavyweight, where he swiftly secured another championship, solidifying his status as a rare two-division champion. It is this success, achieved in a weight class where Adesanya has struggled, that seems to cement the Nigerian`s respect.
The wish for Pereira to retire undefeated is, ironically, a subtle elevation of Adesanya’s own legacy. By praising Pereira`s achievements and hoping for his continued success, Adesanya simultaneously validates the immense difficulty of the victory he did secure.
The competitive ecosystem of elite combat sports often dictates a bitter, enduring enmity. However, the technical maturity displayed by Adesanya in this analysis—applauding Pereira`s technical damage and subsequent success—provides a blueprint for how true rivals, once they have answered all questions in the cage, can transition to mutual, if detached, admiration. For two men who traded so much technical precision and visceral violence, the wish for an undefeated end is perhaps the ultimate, clean resolution to a rivalry that defined a generation.
