Adesanya believes he could train with Pereira in the future

Former UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, is gearing up for his upcoming bout against Nassourdine Imavov this weekend, at UFC Fight Night 250 in Riyadh. This fight is quite special for Adesanya as it is his first non-title fight in six years, following a series of challenging losses that have raised questions about his place in the division.

In preparation for this crucial matchup, Adesanya has overhauled his training regimen. His coach, Eugene Bareman, has indicated that they are adopting a radically different approach to address the shortcomings that have plagued Adesanya in recent fights. 

After losing three of his last four bouts—including two title fights—Adesanya is determined to reclaim his status as one of the elite fighters in mixed martial arts. Bareman has emphasized the need for drastic changes to reignite Adesanya’s competitive edge, stating that they are “flipping things on its head” for this training cycle. 

Adesanya’s recent training has included sessions with former rival Robert Whittaker, which has garnered attention and sparked discussions about the potential for collaboration with other fighters, including Alex Pereira. 

Pereira, who has expressed interest in training with Adesanya if their rivalry is truly over, noted that such a partnership could enhance both fighters’ skills. Adesanya has also acknowledged this possibility but clarified that while he is open to the idea down the road, it is not something that will happen immediately as both fighters focus on their respective careers: “Me and Alex, I’ve already said I got what I wanted from that fight. I think the MMA world just gets greedy and tries to ruin a good thing because they want more. Never knowing when to quit. That’s why you shouldn’t gamble. But yeah, eventually it will, but right now, it’s not that time.”

Adesanya’s mindset heading into this fight is centered on self-improvement, and seeing where he lands after the fight, rather than solely focusing on his opponent. The match against Imavov presents an opportunity for the Last Stylebender to reset his career trajectory and potentially position himself for another title shot and possibly get a third reign as champion.