UFC 276: Israel Adesanya calls for Alex Pereira fight next after latest UFC middleweight title defence

Israel Adesanya saw off another challenge to his UFC middleweight championship at UFC 276. Photo / Getty Images

By Christopher Reive in Las Vegas

Just moments removed from his UFC middleweight title defence against Jared Cannonier on Sunday, Israel Adesanya's next challenge was all but set.

The dream scenario from a promoter's perspective played out at UFC 276 in Las Vegas, with Adesanya convincingly defending his place at the top, while his old kickboxing foe Alex Pereira won in devastating fashion earlier on the card.

Ever since Pereira, who holds two wins over Adesanya in kickboxing, joined the UFC late last year, it seemed obvious that the promotion would waste no time in getting him into a position to challenge Adesanya, despite still being fairly new to MMA.

Pereira has lived up to his side of that hope, with three wins under the UFC banner including a first-round knockout of No4-ranked Sean Strickland on Sunday.

"The next one is something interesting for me," Adesanya said.

"It's someone I've fought in a different code, and I get to show him what MMA is about; what mixed martial arts is about.

"I like the story. Like, I've said my life is a movie; my life is an anime' - whatever. I'm facing a guy who has beaten me in kickboxing and now he's still chasing me because he knows I'm the king and he wants to get that away from me."

The situation at UFC 276 was a win-win looking ahead, as Adesanya said either Pereira or Strickland would be big money fights. Adesanya's history with Pereira has been well documented, while Strickland is among the more polarising characters on the UFC roster and his war of words with Adesanya at the UFC 276 press conference gave a taste of the lead-up to a potential fight between the two.

However, ultimately Pereira made short work of Strickland – landing his trademark left hook, following it up with a straight right sent Strickland to the canvas and ended the fight inside three minutes.

"I saw his fight, it was a good fight but Sean Strickland should have focused on his job like I told him to. How soon (will it happen)? We'll find out.

"When I really have that pressure – I put pressure on myself, but when I have pressure put on me as well – I look forward to fighting him in that next fight."

While Adesanya claimed a dominant unanimous decision win, his bout has been criticised for being dull and lacking action – with boos raining down at T-Mobile Arena throughout the bout and fans in attendance even leaving before the bout was over.

That was the line Pereira took when asked about Adesanya's bout in the post-event media conference, saying he was not impressed and he would come forward and make Adesanya fight - something Cannonier was unable to do as Adesanya picked him apart from range.

Pereira's comments were like water off a duck's back for Adesanya.

"It's nice at the top, so whatever he feels he needs to do to make me fight... I fought tonight, I fought my ass off tonight," he said.

"I didn't feel like I was chilling or waiting, I was pressing the action, I was going for it, I was touching him up. I was critical because I couldn't get my power stuff going; I couldn't get my change-ups going, but he's a formidable opponent.

"You can't sleep on this guy (Cannonier), because he will sleep you. I'm not here to risk my health and risk my brain. I do that, but I'm not going to do it stupidly just for the entertainment of some drunkos."