Israel Adesanya is losing no time establishing his subsequent middleweight title protection in opposition to Alex Pereira.

Each Adesanya and Pereira simply competed at UFC 276 on July 2nd. However contemplating each of them got here out of their respective wins comparatively unhurt, we may see the 2 former kickboxers battling it out within the Octagon ahead of one may suppose.

In a brand new twenty-five minute interview on Izzy’s FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube account, Adesanya confirmed he was preventing Pereira subsequent and teased a date for the scrap.

“Sure. When do I would like it? We’ve obtained a date,” he stated. “We’ve already sussed it out, we’re already planning, we’re sussed with it.”

With the UFC’s pay-per-view schedule solely booked as much as UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards 2 in August, there’s a lot of reveals with out a essential occasion an Adesanya vs. Pereira struggle may sit.

UFC 279 goes down on September 10th, and UFC 280 is on October eighth. UFC 281 is the UFC’s huge Abu Dhabi card on October 22nd, after which we’re anticipating a stacked return to Madison Sq. Backyard in New York someday early November.

Given Adesanya dissatisfaction with his ‘off evening’ in opposition to Cannonier, it might be sooner slightly than later.

“For me, I’m like, I simply know I may have put him away in spectacular style,” Adesanya stated in the identical interview. “And it’s identical to ‘f—ok!’ It’s not even about individuals, however I hate consuming my very own phrases. I’m like ‘F—ok!’ I received the struggle, it was a very good struggle, I simply hate, ‘Uuugh, I may have finished higher.’ And I did, I put all the things I may, however I may have finished higher.”

Alex Pereira comes into his title struggle in opposition to Israel Adesanya with a novel historical past: he holds two wins over the champion from again once they had been each competing in kickboxing. One was a choice win, after which a number of months later he knocked Adesanya out chilly. It will be Izzy’s final kickboxing bout earlier than focusing full-time on blended martial arts.

For his half, Pereira sounds desirous to show what he can do in opposition to Adesanya within the Octagon.

“He’s going to need to look higher subsequent time,” Pereira stated by way of a translator on the UFC 276 post-fight press convention. “If he appears like that, it’s no good. He’s been watching my improvement. He is aware of I’m harmful, he is aware of the chance he can be taking. He must look higher, for positive. He’ll look higher and I’ll make him get the followers thrilled.”