Adesanya backs rival Pereira to make three-division UFC history: 'It's just destiny'

Israel Adesanya is openly cheering for Alex Pereira — the man who beat him three times — to achieve something no fighter in UFC history has ever done.

At UFC White House, Pereira challenges Ciryl Gane for the interim heavyweight title in the co-main event, looking to become the first fighter to win belts in three separate UFC divisions. Already a former middleweight and light heavyweight champion, Pereira will set one record simply by stepping into the cage — the first fighter to contest a title in three different weight classes in the UFC — but a victory over Gane would represent an entirely unprecedented achievement in the sport.

“This is what the division needed,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “Jones is in or out; we don’t know. Aspinall is still recovering from his last fight with Gane. So now, we needed something fresh. And a guy like Alex, who came into the UFC, smoked dudes to fight me, and then beat me, and then from there becoming the light heavyweight champion, and now, never been done before, never been even attempted, this is rare air.”

The pair share one of combat sports’ most storied rivalries. Pereira defeated Adesanya twice in Glory kickboxing before following him into the UFC, where he challenged for the middleweight title and finished Adesanya in the fifth round to go 3-0 in the rivalry. Adesanya responded with a brutal knockout in their rematch, which prompted Pereira to move up to light heavyweight, where he claimed another title and built what many consider a Hall of Fame-calibre career.

The two have since reconciled, and Adesanya’s admiration for what Pereira is attempting is unambiguous.

“Even if he was fighting Godzilla, I want to see Alex do it,” Adesanya said. “I honestly think it’s going to be good for the sport. It’s going to be great for him to achieve something that’s never even been attempted. It’s like seeing the first person climb Everest, a four-minute mile.”

Adesanya also addressed those who might find it strange to root for a former rival. “People can think whatever they want, but I know there’s people who don’t understand what it’s like to root for someone you’ve competed against. It’s not about me. This is bigger than me. This is history. This is, like, to see someone achieve this, and you played a part in helping them get there. It’s f*cking cool, man.”

Adesanya added that he believes Pereira will get the job done, framing the moment as something close to inevitable for a fighter who has consistently defied expectations at every level of the sport.