“I don’t see myself cheering against Israel Adesanya. I wish him the best. Maybe without him, I wouldn’t be where I am today. I wouldn’t have gotten into the UFC with the good contract that I did because of the history we share,” said 205lbs kingpin Alex Pereira during an appearance on Ariel Helwani’s show this week. ‘Poatan’ expressed deep gratitude toward his former rival, acknowledging the important role Adesanya played in shaping his career.

His comments come just ahead of Izzy’s highly anticipated non-title fight against #5 ranked 185fer Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night 250 in Saudi Arabia. Despite their fierce rivalry inside the Octagon, Alex Pereira’s words show a level of respect for the journey they’ve shared and the mutual growth that came from it. ‘Poatan’s’ respect for Adesanya remains intact, even as the former 185lbs champ faces two back-to-back losses.

The media’s attention, however, shifted to Israel Adesanya‘s remarks. In an interview with ‘The MacLife’s’ Oscar Willis, Izzy was asked, “Do you appreciate the appreciation he’s [Alex Pereira] now showing you, acknowledging, like, ‘Hey, I like the fact’?”

‘The Last Stylebender’ explained that their conversation took place through DMs, revealing, “We talked two or three weeks ago just through DMs, and he said that to me. Yeah, and I reciprocated it back. And, um, yeah, like, why dwell on things that don’t serve you anymore? That’s how I feel. So, he realizes that, and I’m appreciative that he appreciates that. You know, without me, that wouldn’t be possible. And I appreciate what he’s doing right now because he’s just wrecking dudes.”

What began as a fierce rivalry in the kickboxing world carried over into the UFC Octagon, where the two fighters faced off twice in the middleweight division. At UFC 281, Alex Pereira knocked out Israel Adesanya, but in their rematch at UFC 287, Izzy turned the tables, causing the Brazilian to move up to the light heavyweight division and effectively ending their rivalry in the UFC.

However, a UFC veteran has raised concerns, suggesting that the the Nigerian-Kiwi’s recent struggles may be tied to the conclusion of this rivalry with ‘Poatan’. Let’s take a look at what the UFC legend has to say about Adesanya’s career.

Chael Sonnen highlights the “biggest problem” of Israel Adesanya

At 35 years old, Israel Adesanya’s career no longer seems to be at the heights it once reached. His downfall began in 2023, following a stunning knockout victory over Alex Pereira at UFC 287, which not only ended their heated rivalry but also sent ‘Poatan’ to a different division. Izzy, however, was unable to hold on to his title for long. At UFC 293, he faced Sean Strickland, a significant underdog, who pulled off one of the biggest upsets in UFC history by defeating Izzy in a tough five-round battle. The loss took the Nigerian-Kiwi almost a year to recover from.

Seeking redemption, Adesanya squared off against current middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305 in Australia, but things didn’t go as planned. Du Plessis defeated the Nigerian-Kiwi in an even more crushing way—by submission. It seemed as though ‘The Last Stylebender’s’ future in the UFC could be uncertain.

But how did Adesanya respond to these setbacks? According to Chael Sonnen, the problem lies in Izzy’s lack of a true rival. On his podcast, ‘Good Guy/Bad Guy,’ Sonnen explained, “Israel has to fight an enemy. The biggest issue Israel faced when he lost to Sean Strickland was that he wasn’t mad at Sean…I do worry that without any real animosity or a title, how motivated can Izzy truly be?”

What are your thoughts on the Israel Adesanya-Alex Pereira rivalry? Could these two former great rivals become partners in something down the line? With both Adesanya and the Brazilian now at similar ages, and only a few years left in their competitive careers, do you think they could find a way to keep fans interested and entertained after retirement? Share your opinion below!