Israel Adesanya plans to have his ‘8 Mile’ moment this Saturday night as he is once again matched up with longtime rival Alex Pereira.
‘The Last Stylebender’ is on the precipice of competing in perhaps the biggest fight of his combat sports career. Adesanya will attempt to recapture the UFC middleweight championship this weekend just five months removed from his shocking fifth-round knockout loss to Alex Pereira at UFC 281. Thus far, Adesanya has been unable to solve the puzzle that is ‘Poatan’ in two different sports.
Heading into the highly anticipated rematch, Adesanya is feeling good and ready to take advantage of the opportunity that has presented itself for the final time.
“This is my Eminem moment. My ‘8 Mile’ moment. You get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime and this is it, Adesanya said during a UFC 287 media event. “This is it for me. Imagine if I get it done. What if I get it done better than he’s ever done it? What if I butcher him and beat the f*ck out of him? Because I always do, but I just ramp it up now. I don’t let him get any breath and I take him out. I put him on his back. We’ll find out. I do all this sh*t and I beat his a**. Do some damage to him and it’s just like, ‘Wow. Amazing.'”
Israel Adesanya feels being "down three" fights against Alex Pereira has provided his "'8 Mile' moment" 🎤 #UFC287
"You get one shot. Do not miss your chance to blow. This opportunity comes once in a lifetime." pic.twitter.com/zoMaoD9liP
— MMA Fighting (@MMAFighting) April 5, 2023
Israel Adesanya is Ready to Settle the Score at UFC 287
As for how he plans to get the job done this Saturday night, Adesanya believes he needs to take Pereira out of the driver’s seat from bell to bell.
“I know what works for me. I know how I can beat this guy. I know every time I fight this guy I’m dominating him. I’m beating him and then he has this special ability to recover and put his foot on the gas so I have to find a way to take him out of the driver’s seat, which I will.”
Having suffered two losses to Alex Pereira under the GLORY Kickboxing banner, Israel Adesanya thought he had seen the last of the towering Brazilian striker once he made his move to mixed martial arts. Now sitting at 0-3 against Pereira, ‘Stylebender’ recognizes that this is likely his last opportunity to score the ever-elusive win over his own personal boogeyman.
“I don’t keep score, I settle them and he who laughs last laughs best,” Adesanya concluded.
