Israel Adesanya tok say im rivalry wit UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira fit be di “greatest storyline for MMA history”.
Di two of dem go meet for di fourth time for UFC 287 for Miami on Saturday, and Pereira winning all di three previous fights.
Di 35-year-old Brazilian don win two times for kickboxing and once for MMA and claim di UFC title for November 2022.
‘Dis na probably di greatest storyline for MMA history’
Im latest victory end Adesanya three-year dominance of di division.
“Dis na probably one of, if not di greatest storyline for MMA history,” 33-year-old Adesanya tok.
“No be many pipo get di opportunity to show how great dem be and to rise to di occasion wen all odds dey against dem. I dey feel like di underdog.
“Sake of wetin happun for di last fight, pipo get goldfish memories. Dem don forget wetin I don do in dis game and na di time to remind pipo how great I be.”
Nigeria-born New Zealander Adesanya unify di middleweight division for 2019 and defend am five times bifor im run into long-time nemesis Pereira.
Adesanya lose kickboxing fight to Pereira for 2016 and 2017. Pereira defeat im final showing for di sport bifor im enta MMA full-time.
Pereira join di UFC for 2021, and win im first three fights and fast-track into a title bout and third meeting wit Adesanya.
Despite say na betting underdog afta spending less time for di octagon dan Adesanya, Pereira secure fifth-round stoppage to stun di champion.
Adesanya dey take inspiration from American rapper Eminem as im try to reclaim di middleweight title.
“I dey down two fights for kickboxing and one for MMA. Dis na my one shot, my Eminem moment,” Adesanya tok.
“You get one shot. No miss your chance to blow. Dis opportunity come once in a lifetime and na im be dis.
“Imagine if I get am done better dan e don ever done am? I no dey keep score I settle dem and pesin wey laugh last laugh best.”
Wen and wia di fight go happun?
Di fight go happun on Sunday 8 March for di Miami-Dade Arena for Miami, Florida, United States.
Na 10pm EST di fight go happun, and dis time na 4am Nigerian time on Sunday 9 March.
‘I know say I fit beat dis guy’
Adesanya flamboyant striking, craftiness inside di cage and mastery of distance control dey make am outclass im opponents such as Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa, and many believe say im dey get point pass Pereira for dia New York bout until di fifth round.
Di defeat na Adesanya first loss for 13 UFC middleweight fights.
“I know how I fit beat dis guy. Every time I fight dis guy I dey dominate am, but im get dis special ability to recover and put im foot on di gas, so I gazz find a way to take am out of di driver’s seat, and na wetin I go do,” Adesanya tok.
“Im no dey boda me or annoy me. You guys know say I dey peak around di corner for wetin dey next – I set up my next fights on di sly – but dis time I focus on am, my target, between di eyes.
“I be like excited dog outside di park. I dey tell by bodi to chill, but soon I go dey unleashed.”
Pereira tok: “Pipo say im dey dominate me for di last fight. If Israel wan see an dat way, e dey OK, but I see am a little bit different.
“I bin dey win di first round before dose late shots. Round two I clearly win am. Round three I bin dey grow into di fight and im no take me down; na scramble.
“If im believe e fit beat me wit a decision and on points, den OK, but I believe I fit also do am.”
Pereira say no be true say di jacket wey im dey wear during di press conference na to mock Adesanya. Dem draw one giant Pikachu for di back of di jacket.
Adesanya na pesin wey like anime, and im ‘Last Stylebender’ nickname na approval for Japanese cartoons.
“Somebodi just give me dis 10 minutes ago and I like am – e dey cool,” Pereira tok. “E matches my pants. Nothing dey set up.
“E get way for me to mess wit im mind sake of say I know say im like Pikachu, but for me e no mata.”
