Former UFC two division champion Henry Cejudo has revealed gave his prediction for the upcoming UFC Middleweight Title fight scheduled for UFC 281 in November, stating that Alex Pereira will knock out champion Israel Adesanya and clinch the 185-pound throne.
Adesanya and Pereira, the two former kickboxing adversaries are now set to lock horns after six years as mixed martial artists, as the highly anticipated fight is now finally confirmed to be taking place in the main event of UFC 281 on 12th November at the Madison Square Garden, with ‘The Last Stylebender’ putting his Middleweight title on the line.
As good as Israel is, Alexander just still has better striking: Henry Cejudo
The two have crossed paths as kickboxers twice during their stint at GLORY, with ‘Poatan’ coming out victorious over Izzy on both occasions. Now, they will face off for the third time, first as MMA fighters, at one of the most quintessential fight venues in the world. While the fandom is split between who wins UFC 281, the former UFC Flyweight and Bantamweight titlist Henry Cejudo is backing Pereira.
“I think Alex is gonna get it,” said Cejudo on his YouTube channel, “This is why it’s so important that as a mixed martial artist that you become well-rounded. That you’re not just a striker with good defense. Because what happens when you get that other good striker that has better striking than you then you can’t take him down? Cause that’s kinda where we’re at now with Pereira and Adesanya.”
“As good as Israel is, Alexander just still has better striking. He knocked him out the last time they fought, he beat him the first time. If this fight goes on its feet, I just gotta go with Pereira,” Cejudo added.
As per ‘Triple C’, Adesanya vs Pereira will play out the same as what happened when José Aldo faced Max Holloway and was dethroned from his featherweight title.
“Jose Aldo was the same thing,” Cejudo went on, “Really good on his feet and great defense. But what happens when you get a better striker like Max Holloway? He put him out. He literally put Jose Aldo out. He put him out because there was nothing else that Jose Aldo had that was a trick in the bag for Max Holloway.
“That’s kind of how I see it in this position with Israel Adesanya and Pereira. I got Pereira by knockout. I think he’s got more diversity and things of that nature. Stop me when I lie,” he added. [H/T MMA Fighting]
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