Four fights. Two in kickboxing. Two in the UFC. Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya share one of the fiercest rivalries in modern combat sports. Pereira took Adesanya’s UFC middleweight title in 2022. Adesanya snatched it back in 2023 with a brutal knockout. Their story has been told in blood, belts, and highlight reels. But what if there’s a new chapter waiting?

Enter Carlos Ulberg. The Auckland knockout artist once played Pereira in sparring, helping his teammate Adesanya prepare for those very battles. Now, Ulberg wants the real thing. And as fate would have it, Pereira seems interested too!

Alex Pereira aims at Israel Adesanya’s teammate as sparks of rivalry re-ignited

Ahead of his rematch with Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320, Pereira was asked about former foes Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree, who also fight on the card. He could have given the standard answer. Instead, he chose a different name.

Speaking through a translator, ‘Poatan’ confessed, “I’ve fought them both, so it’s gonna be a good fight. I see the potential in both of those guys, but obviously, I want to go in there and win my belt back, and then, I’m not going to be the one to pick, but I think Carlos Ulberg is a guy who’s coming up. He’s been doing a good job, and that’s what I’m looking for: to put on good fights. Especially because I’ve fought pretty much all the other opponents who are right there at the top. ”

And with that, Alex Pereira lit the fuse. After all, Carlos Ulberg is not just another contender. With a 9-fight run in the UFC and a 56% KO/TKO rating, ‘Black Jag’ demolished Dominick Reyes in the first round at UFC Perth on September 28. But beyond that, he’s a man who once stood across from Israel Adesanya in the gym, mimicking Pereira’s movements, his rhythm, and his power.

During a recent conversation with FOX Sports Australia, Ulberg confessed, “And while as fighters we’re all obviously all on our own missions, helping prepare for a guy like Alex Pereira is something I’ve done. But of course, every fight is different. And if I am to fight Pereira, it would be different to the fights Israel had.”

It wasn’t a full role-play, but enough to give him insight into Pereira’s style. Enough to feel what Adesanya saw. But here’s where the twist comes in: if Pereira wants Ulberg, he’s also reopening the door to Adesanya. Because if Carlos Ulberg gets the fight after UFC 320, the fingerprints of ‘The Last Stylebender’ will be all over it.

Alex Pereira could have talked about Rountree. He could have hyped Prochazka. Instead, he pointed at Carlos Ulberg, the man who once trained to be him. In doing so, he didn’t just set up a potential title fight. He reignited the flame of his rivalry with Israel Adesanya in a new form.

At UFC 320, Pereira’s mission is clear: reclaim the belt from Magomed Ankalaev. In fact, in a recent interview, ‘Poatan’ even shared a glimpse of how it would feel if he managed to regain his title from the Russian fighter to his storied rivalry with Israel Adesanya!

Pereira points out why Adesanya’s win matters more than Magomed Ankalaev’s rematch

The UFC 320 main event isn’t just about redemption for the Brazilian. It’s also about history. If Alex Pereira wins back the title, he won’t just be champion again. He’ll be the only fighter other than Randy Couture to hold two reigns in one of his divisions while also being a two-weight champion. That’s rare air. That’s Hall of Fame territory.

Pereira knows it, too, as he recently confessed to MMA Junkie, “That’d be huge – really important, I’ve done everything very quickly in the UFC, more than anyone else, so I’m going to take this opportunity and really seize it.”

It’s really wild to think how fast it’s all happened. Pereira only made his UFC debut in 2021. In about four years, he’s fought 11 times, won two titles, and defended his light-heavyweight belt multiple times. Yet standing in his way is the same man who handed him his first loss at 205 pounds. Ankalaev dethroned him in March at UFC 313, winning a clear decision.

The odds don’t favor him either. Pereira enters UFC 320 as a betting underdog for the first time since his two iconic battles with Israel Adesanya. But that’s where the fire comes from. And even if Pereira beats Ankalaev, he already knows nothing will ever top his first UFC win over Adesanya. According to him, “Nothing compares to that win over Adesanya, with the whole history and kickboxing, everything that we went through, A lot of people sometimes think that to promote a fight, you’ve just got to say a lot of things and have this animosity, and that’s not what it is. You’ve got to have that history, that background. (Ankalaev is) doing it all wrong.”

As such, in pointing at Carlos Ulberg, he did more than name a rising contender. He reopened the gates to a rivalry that defined his career. And if that fight happens, Adesanya’s shadow will be in the Octagon too. So here’s the question: if Pereira reclaims his crown on October 4, will UFC fans get the revival of one of combat sports’ greatest rivalries, rekindled through a teammate’s fists? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!