Kamaru Usman Hails Israel Adesanya Over His Knock Out Of Pereira

The former UFC welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman, has praised Israel Adesanya’s recent knockout victory over Alex Pereira, calling it “even more impressive” given Pereira’s recent dominant performance.

At UFC 307 last weekend, Pereira defeated Khalil Rountree Jr. with a dominant TKO win to defend his title, adding to his three world title finishes this year. This win sheds light on Pereira’s only loss inside the octagon, a second-round KO by Adesanya last year.

During his podcast ‘Pound 4 Pound’, Usman reflected on Adesanya’s second-round KO of Pereira at UFC 287 last year, commending Adesanya for stopping a formidable opponent like Pereira.

Usman said, “I don’t want to take anything away from Alex Pereira and what he’s done, but this makes Israel Adesanya’s finish of Alex Pereira even more impressive. To be able to stop a titan like that makes it even more impressive.”

The rivalry between Adesanya and Pereira has been ongoing for seven years and spans two different disciplines. It began with Pereira defeating Adesanya twice in Glory kickboxing matches in 2016 and 2017. The rivalry continued in the UFC, with Pereira winning the middleweight title in 2022, only to have Adesanya reclaim it with a spectacular knockout at UFC 287.

Despite Pereira moving up to the light-heavyweight division and capturing UFC gold, he remains on Adesanya’s radar.

After Pereira’s victory at UFC 307, Adesanya expressed his admiration for his former rival’s performance, saying, “He (Pereira) is that guy right now.

“Shout out to Khalil because, heart. Fighting with a broken nose, f**ked eye, and intelligence not to blow his nose even in the fight, respect.”

As both fighters continue to excel in their respective weight classes, the potential for a future rematch between Adesanya and Pereira is an enticing prospect for UFC fans worldwide.