Alex Pereira responds to footage Israel Adesanya taunting his son at UFC 287

Alex Pereira is responding to the footage of Israel Adesanya taunting his son at UFC 287.

It was just this past Saturday, April 8th at UFC 287 where Israel Adesanya (24-2 MMA) defeated Alex Pereira (7-2 MMA) via KO at 4:21 of round 2, and in the process re-claimed the middleweight championship title.

Following the victory, it was Adesanya who mocked Alex Pereira’s son by pointing him out in the crowd, and then jumping to the floor and playing dead.

There is a history there, as it was Pereira’s son who made that exact same gesture when his father knocked out Adesanya in a kickboxing match seven years ago.

Pereira, admits that he understands why ‘The Last Stylebender’ took aim at his son following the knockout win.

The former champion addressed Adesanya’s actions in a YouTube video, saying:

“I don’t know I wouldn’t do the same. I can play with him, I’ve always played with him and teased him. It was something that happened. But I don’t know, it’s another child because I don’t know what his feeling was.”

Continuing ‘Poatan’ said:

“I don’t know, it is seven years ago, he was enduring it and I saw his joy that he had after the knockout because this was his dream. That was his dream and he made it, but we’re comparing him (his son) with a child who was five-years-old at the time, right? I don’t have that mind.”

Alex Pereira concluded with:

“I can provide it because today he is 12-years-old and before the fight I saw the he was being influenced by other people. Sometimes even in some interviews and some reporters said ‘you’re going to do this?’ He said, ‘I’m going to do it again’ and so on and he laughed.”

Whether Adesanya, obviously overcome with emotion and jubilant over winning the championship belt took the gesture too far or not, seemingly Pereira carries no hard feelings.

Who knows? Had it been the other way around, Pereira’s son may have once again performed the same stunt.

Do you think Israel Adesanya took it too far in taunting Alex Pereira’s son?

Share your thoughts in the comment section PENN Nation!