Israel Adesanya is throwing his full support behind rival-turned-peer Alex Pereira ahead of Pereira’s interim heavyweight title clash with Ciryl Gane at UFC Freedom 250.
Pereira is set to face Gane for the interim heavyweight belt in the co-main event of UFC Freedom 250, which will take place Sunday at the White House in Washington DC. With Tom Aspinall sidelined after double eye surgery, the matchup comes as Pereira targets a historic milestone: becoming the first fighter in UFC history to win titles in three weight divisions.
Adesanya made it clear he backs Pereira’s move up to heavyweight and his shot at the belt. “This is what the division needed. (Jon) Jones is in or out; we don't know. Aspinall is still recovering from the last fight with Gane,” Adesanya said, later adding, “I want to see Alex do it.”
“So now they need something fresh, a guy like Alex who's come to the UFC, smoked dudes to fight me, and then beat me, and then from there becoming the light heavyweight champion, and then now, never been done before, never even been attempted. This is rare air,” Adesanya said.
He also praised both men in the matchup. “This is crazy, and he's not just doing it against a casual or a paper champ. Like Gane is a f*cking gunner, as well. The last fight with Aspinall, he won the first round. He's no slouch. This is going to be a stand-up chess match. MMA chess match actually.”
