Alex Pereira says Israel Adesanya would deserve an immediate rematch after UFC 281, but claims “he isn’t going to want it”

Alex Pereira doesn’t think Israel Adesanya would fight him again if he gets his hand raised at UFC 281.

Pereira is set to challenge Adesanya for the middleweight title on Saturday in the main event of UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden. It’s a fascinating matchup given the fact that the two fought twice in kickboxing with Pereira winning both including the last time by KO.

With that, Adesanya has said this fight is personal for him but  Pereira says he’s viewing this as another fight. Although he thinks it’s another fight, he’s confident he will get his hand raised. If he does, Pereira doubts Adesanya would fight him again.

“It makes no difference who they want to put after (Adesanya for the next title challenger). He deserves it, but after this fight, he isn’t going to want it,” Pereira said at media day.

Pereira Claimed Adesanya Was Forced Into Taking This Fight

If Pereira does beat Adesanya, an immediate rematch would make sense given how long ‘The Last Stylebender’ has been the champ for. Yet, the Brazilian believes a third win over Adesanya would leave the Kiwi not wanting to fight him again. Especially, due to the fact Pereira has said Adesanya was forced into taking this fight.

“If he really wanted this, he would have done that as soon as I signed with the UFC,” Pereira said to MMAFighting. “He’s being forced to fight, he’s the champion. It’s obvious that he cares about the belt… He knows I’m different, and I’m proving that. I’m showing that in my three UFC fights. I’m being honest here. He doesn’t want this fight. Nobody wants. His team doesn’t want it. People close to him don’t want it because they know the risk.”

Alex Pereira enters his UFC 281 title fight against Israel Adesanya being just 3-0 in the UFC and coming off a KO win over Sean Strickland.

Do you think Alex Pereira will beat Israel Adesanya at UFC 281?