Alexander Volkanovski Predicts Fifth Fight Between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira “That would be pretty clever”

If you’re a fan of MMA, you have certainly heard the name Alexander Volkanovski. The Australian native is the current UFC Featherweight champion. He’s also known for his comments and predictions on big match-ups in the sport. Recently, he spoke up about a potential match-up between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira.

Adesanya and Pereira have had a heated rivalry throughout their MMA careers, fighting each other four times so far. Adesanya is the reigning UFC Middleweight champion and is set to defend his title against the winner of Robert Whittaker vs Dricus du Plessis later this year.

When asked about a potential Adesanaya vs Pereira trilogy fight at some point in the future, Volkanovski was surprisingly optimistic. “I think it’s just not something that’s going to happen right away,” he said. “But I’m confident they’ll meet again at some point in the future.”

Volkanovski believes that the two fighters have not yet reached the peak of their respective career, so another bout is inevitable. He said that he is confident that Adesanya and Pereira will meet again down the line, whether it be next year or further down the line.

The two fighters have had an intense rivalry, with Adesanya winning three of the four fights so far. The only fight Pereira won was in June 2019, when a controversial decision ruled him the winner. However, that win was overturned after a USADA investigation revealed Pereira tested positive for a banned substance.

Though he hasn’t been asked for his opinion, Adesanya himself has seemed open to the idea of a trilogy fight. When speaking to reporters in February 2020, he said that he’s willing to fight anyone, especially Pereira. “I want all the smoke,” he said. “I want all the smoke. I want to fight him again — even better, let’s make it a trilogy, let’s go.”

While nothing is certain yet, all signs point to us seeing Adesanya and Pereira battle it out again in the Octagon. Both fighters are eager for another shot at each other and have proven to be worthy opponents. With Volkanovski’s prediction, we may finally get the epilogue to one of the greatest rivalries in MMA history.