The Israel Adesanya next fight news has arrived, as “The Last Stylebender” is set to make his highly-anticipated return to the Octagon in April. Waiting for him when he steps back into the cage will be the man that took away his middleweight title in shocking fashion in November, Alex Pereira.
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Who will Israel Adesanya next fight be against?
Following their championship match at UFC 281 late last year, Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira will go to war for a second time inside the fabled Octagon on April 8. However, it will actually be the pair’s fourth showdown in combat sport after two previous matchups in kickboxing. All three bouts were won by the Brazilian, with two coming by knockout.
How to watch Adesanya vs Pereira on April 8
- Adesanya vs Pereira 2 will headline a UFC pay-per-view card on April 8
- The event will happen inside Brooklyn, New York’s Barclays Center
- The fight will air exclusively on ESPN+ pay-per-view for a price of $79.99
- Main card action will begin at 10 PM ET
Israel Adesanya vs Alex Pereira II preview
Adesanya will certainly go down as one of the very best fighters of his generation, however, the idea that Pereira owns real estate in his head and has put three Ls in his loss column has changed his legacy in the fight game. The 33-year-old exercising the “Poatan” demon once and for all will be the greatest challenge of the New Zealander’s impressive career.
Adjustments: While they have fought in two different sports, both men are standup fighters, so trying to make adjustments in this fourth go-around will be key. The champ can make the case that he doesn’t need to make any changes, but after being on the brink of decision losses twice before to Adesanya, his opponent clearly understands what needs to be done to score points on him. The former titlist just needs to finish the job this time.
Finishing the job: Finishing the job will be the focus of this fight for Adesanya since he seemed headed to scoring revenge entering the fifth round of their bout at UFC 281. But then Pereira showed why his game-changer power can overcome even the greatest fighters at any time.
Adesanya etting passed any mental hurdles, and being mistake-free for every minute is the goal for the pound-for-pound star in the lead-up to the bout and on fight night. The Brazilian has the luxury of mistakes because his chin and power have proven multiple times to be good enough to make up for any technical advantages his rival has.
The bottom line: If Israel Adesanya does not win this fight, it forever changes his place in MMA history. His loss in November already put a black mark on his legacy. A fourth defeat to his greatest rival would forever place him outside the GOAT conversation.
What makes Israel Adesanya so popular?
Adesanya truly is a one-of-a-kind combat athlete. He is akin to Muhammad Ali and Roy Jones, Jr. in mixing world-class physical gifts with it-factor charisma. Adesanya is a perfect representation of the era he dominates in and will surely go down as many Gen Z fans’ favorite UFC fighter.
The Avatar of the UFC: Adesanya is a top three pound-for-pound talent because he can beautifully blend both the physical and mental sides of fighting into one dynamic combat package.
- Israel Adesanya Record: 22-2 (15 knockouts)
- Adesanya has never lost at middleweight. During his three-plus-year run in the UFC, he’s beaten elite fighters like Derek Brunson, Paulo Costa, Marvin Vettori (twice), Whittaker (twice), and Yoel Romero.
- In a clash of generations, Adesanya fought his idol, and the man considered the greatest MMA middleweight of all time, Anderson Silva, in 2018. Although the then-43-year-old Silva showed the heart of a lion, his younger counterpart was the better man and won by unanimous decision.
- Before he jumped to MMA, Adesanya was a world-class kickboxer. Amassing a 75-5 record with 48 KOs.
The Stylish Bender: The New Zealand resident has become a sports superstar by unabashedly being himself. A confident, cocky, funny, and creative man that connects with the 18 to 35 age demographic that all sports properties and advertisers want.
- Adesanya has over nine million followers on his various social media accounts, including six million on Instagram.
- The champ also runs popular OnlyFans and YouTube pages. His YouTube channel currently has over 700,000 subscribers which help him earn a solid income from his videos.
- Adesanya made headlines in 2021 when he took part in the “Black Lives Matter” protests in New Zealand. At the protest, he gave a passionate speech and used his fame to help push the popular social movement.
Israel Adesanya’s net worth
Money is often one of the greatest measuring sticks for a fighter’s success. As of 2021, Adesanya’s net worth is estimated to be $4 million.
