Former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will try to do something that he’s never done before in the UFC 287 main event on Saturday and that’s beat Alex Pereira.
Pereira holds three wins over Adesanya in combat sports, two in kickboxing and one in the UFC. Adesanya was up on the scorecards heading into the final round with Pereira at UFC 281 in November, but Pereira pulled out the win and snatched the belt.
Former two-division UFC Champion and coach Henry Cejudo believes he knows how Adesanya can turn it around against Pereira in their mixed martial arts rematch this weekend in Miami.
Adesanya needs to point fight
“I do believe Israel can win. I do believe if he fights smart. There’s a couple of areas that Israel could do tactually win that fight,” said Cejudo. “One is going to be his point fighting. Don’t turn it into a slugfest with this guy. Don’t throw it into a slugfest with a guy that’s the Francis Ngannou of you damn weight class, a guy that has a crazy right and left hook and that knows how to kick.
Adesanya could outwrestle Pereira
“If I was your coach dude, there’s two options. I point fight. I win the distance game. I change my stance. I’m not so out there with that front leg, but I point fight. I use my speed because you are faster than this man. Or 2, I bring in the surprise of the arsenal and wrestle him because you did have six minutes and 32 seconds of control time.”
Cejudo believes the Pereira rematch is ‘do or die’ for Adesanya. It’s a big pressure moment, but Cejudo thinks Adesanya can thrive in it.
“I think Israel kind of knows that, or he should know that. It should motivate him to be in the back of his mind. I think Israel is that type of guy that will take that motivation and strive by it and be motivated by it,” Cejudo said.
“Israel, you can’t fight, you can’t fist fight a guy like Pereira. You can’t. You’ve done that already. You have to find a way to out compete him,” continued Cejudo. “If you’re going to go toe-to-toe, check hook for check hook, kick with kick, Guys I just have to go with the leaner guy who the mathematics should just make sense. You see what I’m saying? I’ve got to do with a guy that’s three versus your zero”
Henry Cejudo explains how Israel Adesanya can beat Alex Pereira in UFC 287 rematch
