Israel Adesanya is known for his freestyle fights and his rivalry with Alex Pereira is one of the most memorable one. Recently a UFC 287 backstage video of the two went viral, reminding fans of the deep history they share. While their battles inside the octagon were intense and hard hitting, this rare clip captures a different side one of respect, and mutual love. Fans couldn’t help but appreciate the interaction, flooding the comment section with praise for both the warriors.
Israel Adesanya and Pereira’s rivalry goes beyond just wins and losses. The Brazilian fighter had a Adesanya’s number in all of their kickboxing bouts and it continued in the UFC until UFC 287 where “The Stylebender” finally got a win over Pereira. The tension between them was always electric, but beneath it all, there’s a level of respect that only two elite fighters can understand. While the Brazilian defeated the New Zealander for the middleweight title at UFC 281, “The Stylebender” got his revenge against “Poatan” at UFC 287.
After their second fight the two were seen having a conversation backstage. When UFC Canada shared the backstage video of them in conversation, it was a refreshing reminder that even the fiercest rivals can recognize each other’s greatness. Fans were quick to react, celebrating not just their epic fights but the sportsmanship that defines them.
As the video went viral, fans flooded the comment section, praising the two warriors for their rivalry and mutual respect:
“Two of the very best showing absolute respect.”
“Two well educated geniuses The examples of courtesy. 👏👏👏”
“Great rivalries create strong friendships, chama🇧🇷”
“Respect to you both👏”
“This two 😂😂Omg! 🤍🤍”
“Brooo they’re great I love them both 😍 😍”
The video offers a glimpse into the deeper bond between two warriors who have been through it all. In spite of their intense battles, “The Last Stylebender” and “Poatan” showed that respect outweighs rivalry. When asked about their past, neither had anything but positive words, proving that true fighters recognize and appreciate each other’s greatness.
Israel Adesanya Reacts To Alex Pereira’s Recent Comments By Sharing Their DMs
The viral video reignited conversations about the bond Israel Adesanya and Pereira share beyond their battles in the cage. Despite their fierce history, both spoke highly of each other when asked about their relationship. Adesanya even shared a glimpse of their private DMs, revealing mutual admiration and genuine respect. What was once a rivalry driven by competition has transformed into something deeper and more respectable.
MMA Journalist, Ariel Helwani, interviewed both Alex Pereira and Israel on his “The Ariel Helwani Show” on separate occasions. Pereira credited his rivalry and history with “The Last Stylebender” as the reason behind his success in the UFC. Israel Adesanya reciprocated the same and revealed the DMs Pereira shared with him. When the two-time former middleweight champion was asked to give his reactions on Pereira’s comments by Helwani he had the following to say:
“God blessed me with a great opponent like Alex Pereira. He blessed me with a great challenge like that. And it’s easy to say that now on this side, but fuck, it takes a lot to take on that man. I always knew that we would have history, and I always knew I could best him. I’m glad God blessed me with that challenge to be able to rise to the occasion.”
The New Zealander mixed martial artist has seen a downfall since his defeat against the Brazilian. He went on to lose that title to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 and later lost a middleweight title match against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305. Israel Adesanya is now trying to regain some momentum when he faces Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night in Saudi Arabia.
Sachin Singh 
REDDAVENI SAISNEHA 
Ashvinkumar Patil