Alex Pereira says he is confused by Israel Adesanya’s ‘big pillow gloves’ comment ahead of UFC 276.
Adesanya spoke about a potential rematch with Pereira ahead of UFC 276. Pereira defeated ‘The Last Stylebender’ twice in kickboxing but Adesanya stated that the MMA doesn’t have ‘big pillow gloves’ like kickboxing and the middleweight champion can’t wait to drive a four-ounce glove ‘through (Pereira’s) face’ when they finally meet again.
At UFC 276 media day, Alex Pereira shared his thoughts on those comments from Adesanya (h/t MMAFighting):
“Well (Adesanya’s comments) actually makes me confused. Because with those two fights and the knockout, he actually claimed (the gloves) to be a pillow, but now we talk about four-ounce gloves.”
“It is a deadly weapon, but if the big pillows already make him leave on the stretcher with an (oxygen) balloon on him, imagine what’s going to happen with four-ounce (gloves).”
Continuing Alex Pereira believes Israel Adesanya really doesn’t want to fight him:
“I don’t think he wants the fight due to the history that we have. If he really wanted the fight, when I first signed with the UFC he wouldn’t let me do three fights like I’m doing now. He would just go to the organization and if he agrees, I want the rubber match right now and I want to get back those losses.”
With a win at UFC 276, Pereira believes Adesanya will have no choice but to meet him in the Octagon, saying:
“But after my win in (Madison Square) Garden, he said I still have four more wins before I reach to him. This is the third. But now goes and says that he wants to fight me next and everything that he’s saying because he sees that it’s on the contract so he has nowhere else to run.”
Speaking of his own record, Alex Pereira continued:
“It doesn’t mean nothing to me when people say that because honestly I have way bigger achievements than defeating him in kickboxing. I became the GLORY double champ.”
“So I have so many wins and achievements and titles after that. Obviously those wins count to the whole scene that we’re having right now, but I believe that I have further more achievements than that.”
Sharing his prediction for Saturday’s fight, Pereira said:
“I believe Adesanya’s going to win this fight. Even though he don’t seem too focused, because he’s been talking about me so much for this past week and he should be more focused on the fight that he has, because he has a dangerous fight. But I still believe that he’s going to win and I’m rooting for him.”
Yes it will be Adesanya (22-1 MMA) vs Cannonier (15-5 MMA) in the main middleweight event this Saturday, with Adesanya attempting to retain the title.
It will also be Alex Pereira (5-1 MM) vs Sean Strickland (25-3 MMA) entering the Octagon in a middleweight bout.
Will you be watching? Any predictions?
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