Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell has been helping middleweight titleholder Alex Pereira prepare for his rematch with former champion Israel Adesanya.
Pereira and Adesanya headline UFC 287 on April 8 at Miami-Dade Arena in Miami, Florida in a rematch. Pereira holds two kickboxing wins over Adesanya and finished him late in the final round at UFC 281 in November.
“He’s doing great. I had a few things I wanted to help him with, things that I could add maybe and see if he liked them for some of the wrestling stuff,” said Liddell. “I thought he picked it up well. I’m looking forward to see him maybe use one of them, but I don’t know. He’s looking sharp, so I don’t know if we’ll get a chance to see that.”
Looking ahead to next Saturday, Liddell believes Adesanya has a lot to overcome mentally after losing all three times that a he’s been in a ring or the octagon with the Brazilian.
“I think it’s going to be tough, I mean he’s lost to him, how many times has he lost to him now,” said Liddell. That’s stuck in the guy’s head and it wasn’t too long ago. I’m thinking that he’s going to end it in three.”
Pereira has talked about taking fights in higher divisions as far up in weight class as heavyweight. Liddell was asked about how he thought Pereira would do as a light heavyweight or heavyweight.
“He’s got the size if he really wants to put it on, if he decides to not cut anymore and go up. He’s big enough. His body can carry the weight. I think he could make that transition,” Liddell said. He’s strong. He’s strong for a 185 pounder, the body size and he hits hard. He hits hard for a 205 pounder.”
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Chuck Liddell predicts Alex Pereira will finish Israel Adesanya inside three rounds
