Alex Pereira won the light heavyweight title on Saturday in the UFC 295 main event by finishing former titleholder Jiri Prochazka in the second round via TKO. After the in, in his post-fight interview, Pereira called out former two-time middleweight champion Israel Adesanya for a trilogy match.
Pereira defeated Adesanya at UFC 281 to win the light heavyweight championship. Late in the final round, Pereira clipped Adesanya with a right hand that badly hurt “The Last Stylebender.” A few punches later and the referee stepped in to stop the fight.
The two had history before either arrived in the UFC. In kickboxing, the two fought twice with Pereira winning both bouts. Adesanya lost their first kickboxing match by a controversial decision. In the rematch, Pereira knocked Adesanya out.
Their kickboxing history spilled over into the UFC. In the rematch at UFC 287, Adesanya brutally knocked Pereira out. Following the loss, Pereira moved up a weight class to the light heavyweight division.
He fought Jan Blachowicz in his 205-pound debut and won via split decision. After Pereira called out Adesanya at UFC 295, Blachowicz took to social media to vent his frustrations.
“@AlexPereiraUFC I know you’re a slimy one. Calling out Izzy. Great performance and all but STFU, we have unfinished business you and I. The judges won’t give you hand outs next time. Pathetic,” Blachowicz tweeted.
@AlexPereiraUFC I know you’re a slimy one. Calling out Izzy. Great performance and all but STFU, we have unfinished business you and I. The judges won’t give you hand outs next time. Pathetic. pic.twitter.com/jlv5NnohV8
— Jan Blachowicz (@JanBlachowicz) November 12, 2023
“This is LHW and that split decision means we have unfinished business here. I’m just saying what I feel. Don’t blame me for it. Just letting you know this. This is all from me. I’m going back to the gym. Got a new opponent and a job to do,” Blachowicz wrote in a second tweet.
The tweets were out of character for Blachowicz, so he posted a follow up tweet explaining that he gets pissed off just like everyone else.
This is LHW and that split decision means we have unfinished business here.
I’m just saying what I feel. Don’t blame me for it. Just letting you know this.
This is all from me. I’m going back to the gym. Got a new opponent and a job to do.— Jan Blachowicz (@JanBlachowicz) November 12, 2023
Blachowicz is scheduled to face Aleksandar Rakić in a rematch at UFC 297 on January 20 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Pereira will likely face former light heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill in his first title defense. Hill has been sidelined due to a ruptured Achilles tendon.
https://www.mmaweekly.com/news/jan-blachowicz-pissed-at-slimy-alex-pereira-for-pathetic-israel-adesanya-callout
