UFC champion Alex Pereira claimed the UFC gold when he dispatched his rival from kickboxing days Israel Adesanya at UFC 281. Not only did the fight at the coveted Madison Square Garden pan out as a replay of their previous encounters, but it also established ‘Poatan’ at the top of the division’s food chain. Further, it also put him 3-0 up against the New Zealander. As expected, the perennial rivals once again square off against each other at the forthcoming UFC 287 in Miami on April 8 at the Miami-Dade Arena. Notably, the Brazilian is availing the services of UFC legends, Glover Teixeira and Chuck Liddel to bolster his takedown defense. The middleweight kingpin is trying to plug in holes in his skill set that handed him over the first MMA loss in 2015.

Markedly, the clip of the 35-year-old’s first MMA fight made rounds on the internet ahead of his awaited rematch against ‘The Last Stylebender’. The Sao Paulo native transitioned to MMA after holding the double champ title in Glory. While he tried to chase down similar fame in the MMA world, he hit a roadblock in his debut fight. The former kickboxer’s envisioned plan didn’t come to fruition as he registered a loss in his MMA debut.

Alex Pereira didn’t have a memorable MMA debut

The middleweight champion started his journey with native MMA promotion, Jungle Fight. In a closely contested fight at Jungle Fight 82 on 24 October 2015, he exchanged gloves with Quemuel Ottoni.

Significantly, the Teixeira MMA & Fitness representative exhibited glimpses of brilliance, as he pushed his opponent to the cage walls on multiple occasions. While his opponent faced the full brunt of his thunderous left punch that knocked out Adesanya, Ottoni displayed top-notch resilience.

Despite a strong outing on feet, Pereira lacked the ground skills and as a result, found himself a victim of numerous takedowns. One particular takedown in the final round proved critical as he tapped out when his opponent mounted on his back and locked in a rear-naked choke.

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How did the fans react to Pereira’s first MMA loss clip?

While some fans praised the chin of Pereira’s opponent, others suggested wrestling might be his kryptonite.

Read More: “Bro Don’t Even Joke Around…”: Fans React as Israel Adesanya’s Latest Training Video Ahead of Alex Pereira Rematch at UFC 287 Gets Khamzat Chimaev’s Approval

What do you think of this recently resurfaced UFC champion, Alex Pereira’s first MMA fight clip? Do you believe Pereira put on an impressive display and Israel Adesanya could jot down a few pointers? Let us know in the comments below.

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