UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira is expecting a rematch against Israel Adesanya for the title at the end of April or beginning of May.
The Brazilian had defeated Adesanya twice in kickboxing, and ended the Nigerian’s 20-fight undefeated streak in the middleweight division of mixed martial arts with a stunning knockout in November.
Pereira, who was trailing on points before the fifth and final round knockout, says he is planning to return for his first defence later this year.
“I want to come back in April or May,” he told ESPN MMA. “I will be ready for those dates. There’s nothing in the works now but I know it’s probably going to be Izzy (Adesanya) with the rematch or Robert Whittaker.
“No preference, Izzy or Robert, [I’m] going to be ready.”
Pereira and Adesanya first met in kickboxing back in April 2016, with the Brazilian taking a controversial decision victory before their rematch the following year.
Although Adesanya has won the majority of rounds in the pair’s fights, he has been unable to claim even one victory in their three bouts so far.
After their latest fight in November, Adesanya had insisted that he was on course to winning before a sucker punch caught him cold.
“I know what I can do. The fight was going my way, he hit my perineal nerve, so that’s why my footwork was compromised,” the flamboyant Nigerian said at the post-fight press conference.
“Even when I tripped and did the backwards rolly-polly it was because I was like ‘s*** I just tripped over’ which is not like me. Kudos to him for investing in those calf kicks because it cost me.”
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