UFC 281 is right around the corner and like many fans, Joe Rogan is also extremely hyped for this mammoth-scale event. Meanwhile, the entire card is already extremely stacked, it’s the main event that the fans are massively looking forward to.

Israel Adesanya vs Alex Pereira will headline the event, which will also be their third meeting inside the combat realm. The previous two times, the Brazilian emerged victorious. Moreover, one of those victories also included a devastating knockout. Nevertheless, it’s also the only KO loss in Adesanya’s fight career.

However, those two fights were kickboxing bouts. The third fight will be an MMA match, therefore using the past as the trajectory to the future won’t be the most appropriate way to dissect the fight. Even the UFC commentator, Joe Rogan shared his thoughts on the fight.

Joe Rogan believes Israel Adesanya has massively improved from his kickboxing days

On the MMA show #130 of the JRE, his guest Will Harris asked Rogan how the third loss against Pereira would affect the Stylebender’s legacy. Moreover, would it tarnish everything that he has achieved so far? 

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Rogan replied, “No, Izzy is a human being. You can’t take away what he has done. Cause what he has done is spectacular. I mean, look at what he did to Paulo Costa. Paulo Costa was running through everybody. Walked down Yoel Romero, and Izzy just lit him on fire.”

The podcaster further added, “I think Izzy of today is very different from the Izzy that fought twice… he’s different now. He’s better, he’s way better.”

Rogan gives a slight advantage to Izzy 

Rogan concluded by stating how the middleweight champion holds an advantage in the fight because he’s got the experience of fighting for five rounds and he’s even accustomed to competing under the bright lights of a champion fights.

However, Rogan wasn’t dismissive of the fact that Pereira is the one who has the power advantage. Meanwhile, he also understands that everyone could get hit. Moreover, while citing the example of the Sean Strickland fight, the comedian also spoke very highly of Pereira’s left hook. 

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