Ultimate Fighting Championship: Pereira Reignites Rivalry With Adesanya

Ultimate Fighting Championship light-heavyweight contender Alex Pereira has reignited his rivalry with former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya by expressing interest in fighting Carlos Ulberg, Adesanya’s training partner and sparring companion.

Ahead of his rematch with Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 on October 4, Pereira was asked about former opponents Jiri Prochazka and Khalil Rountree, who also fight on the card, but instead chose to mention Ulberg as a potential future opponent.

Speaking through a translator, Pereira said, “I’ve fought them both, so it’s gonna be a good fight. I see the potential in both of those guys, but obviously, I want to go in there and win my belt back, and then, I’m not going to be the one to pick, but I think Carlos Ulberg is a guy who’s coming up. He’s been doing a good job, and that’s what I’m looking for: to put on good fights. Especially because I’ve fought pretty much all the other opponents who are right there at the top.”

Ulberg, known as ‘Black Jag’, has enjoyed a nine-fight run in the UFC with a 56 per cent knockout/technical knockout rating. He demolished Dominick Reyes in the first round at UFC Perth on September 28.

The Auckland-based fighter once served as Adesanya’s sparring partner, mimicking Pereira’s movements, rhythm and power to help prepare his teammate for their battles.

During a recent conversation with FOX Sports Australia, Ulberg said, “And while as fighters we’re all obviously all on our own missions, helping prepare for a guy like Alex Pereira is something I’ve done. But of course, every fight is different. And if I am to fight Pereira, it would be different to the fights Israel had.”

Pereira and Adesanya share one of the fiercest rivalries in modern combat sports, having met four times across kickboxing and mixed martial arts. Pereira took Adesanya’s UFC middleweight title in 2022, before Adesanya reclaimed it in 2023 with a knockout victory.

If Pereira wins back the light-heavyweight title from Ankalaev, he will become only the second fighter, after Randy Couture, to hold two reigns in one division while also being a two-weight champion.

Speaking to MMA Junkie, Pereira said, “That’d be huge – really important, I’ve done everything very quickly in the UFC, more than anyone else, so I’m going to take this opportunity and really seize it.”

The Brazilian made his UFC debut in 2021 and has fought 11 times in about four years, winning two titles and defending his light-heavyweight belt multiple times.

Ankalaev dethroned him in March at UFC 313, winning by decision.

Pereira enters UFC 320 as a betting underdog for the first time since his two battles with Adesanya. Despite his upcoming rematch, he acknowledged that nothing compares to his history with the Nigerian-born New Zealander.

“Nothing compares to that win over Adesanya, with the whole history and kickboxing, everything that we went through. A lot of people sometimes think that to promote a fight, you’ve just got to say a lot of things and have this animosity, and that’s not what it is. You’ve got to have that history, that background. (Ankalaev is) doing it all wrong,” Pereira said.