Alex Pereira, the former middleweight champion, has broken his silence after losing to Israel Adesanya in their UFC 287 rematch on Saturday night in Miami. Pereira took to social media to assure fans of his well-being and express gratitude for their support.
The Brazilian fighter’s reign as champion lasted only four months, as he was knocked out in the second round by Adesanya, marking his first knockout loss inside the Octagon. Despite the setback, Pereira is already focused on his future plans.
In a message to his fans on Twitter, Pereira wrote, “I’m just here to let you know that I’m fine. I want to thank my family, my team, and all the people who are supporting me during my journey. Now I just have to rest and continue with the plans that are already in motion. Thanks, God.”
Pereira currently holds a 3-1 record against Adesanya, considering both kickboxing and MMA matches. However, a fifth fight between the two seems unlikely at this point.
Adesanya stated that Pereira must now earn another title shot, as he was given a fast-track to the belt due to the lack of competition in the middleweight division. The Nigerian champion, who had never lost at 185lb before facing Pereira, had already defeated the entire top five, including multiple top contenders twice.
Adesanya explained in his post-fight press conference, “I gave him a fast-track to the belt, I could have said ‘Nah, who has he fought?’…I did the hard yards and I earned my f***ing rematch, now he’s got to do the hard yards if he wants to do that, and I don’t think he’s going to.”
The reigning champion has a history of being active, fighting multiple times a year, and even offering rematches to opponents like Robert Whittaker and Marvin Vettori despite dominant victories in their initial bouts. There is speculation that Whittaker could secure a trilogy with a series of good wins.