Teddy Atlas shares high praise for Israel Adesanya following UFC 287: “He’s Muhammad Ali right now”

MMA & boxing analyst Teddy Atlas has praised Israel Adesanya for what he was able to achieve in his win at UFC 287.

Last weekend at UFC 287, Israel Adesanya finally got his revenge. He beat Alex Pereira via knockout and in doing so, reclaimed his UFC middleweight championship.

It was the moment he’d been waiting over six years for, dating back to his first loss to ‘Poatan’. While many still wonder whether or not a trilogy is incoming, that isn’t really the point.

The point is that ‘Stylebender’ finally overcame his greatest rival on the grandest stage. As such, many pundits and fans were quick to heap praise on him – including the aforementioned Teddy Atlas.

“I looked at this, I said ‘Oh my god, this is eerily similar and reminiscent of something that I know. Something I’ve seen before.’ And you know what it was? Zaire, it was Zaire. It was George Foreman and Muhammad Ali, and Ali late in the fight playing the rope-a-dope. And all the big shots from the monster – and Pereira’s the monster – the big bully if you will, the big powerful guy that can knock a tree down.

He was Foreman, he represented Foreman. Pereira was Foreman, undefeated, the whole thing. And he’s throwing these shots…and he’s doing the cage-a-dope. He’s against the cage, and I’m watching him I said ‘Oh my goodness, oh my god, he’s Ali right now. He’s Muhammad Ali.’ The mindest, everything. Where’s he’s got this monster in front of him, he knows what he’s gonna do.

Atlas praises Adesanya

He knows the moment’s gonna come. He knows he’s gonna get a moment. He’s not terrified, he’s not terribly shaken. He got buzzed a little, he’s fine. He’s together, he’s lookin’ for that moment. He’s searching for that moment, he’s in a place he needs to be. And then all of a sudden, bang.”

Quotes via MMA News

What’s next for Israel Adesanya? Let us know in the comments, BJPENN Nation!