Israel Adesanya has picked Alex Pereira to beat Jan Blachowicz via knockout in this weekend’s co-main event at UFC 291. The two men, who will be fighting in Salt Lake City, Utah, are the only people to beat Adesanya in MMA.
In a video posted to his YouTube channel, ‘The Last Stylebender’ said that the power of ‘Poatan’ will prove to be the difference between the two. “It’s just the way he throws; the technique he throws with. He’s not moving and throwing. He sits when he gets you where he wants you, especially against the cage.”
There was a question thrown up in the video, on the ‘FREESTYLBENDER‘ channel, about whether Pereira was returning to action too soon. He was knocked out just three months ago by Adesanya, at UFC 287. “How long did he take before he started sparring again? How long did he take before he started training again? There’s so many factors that go into it,” said the Nigerian-native.
But, despite his prediction, the Middleweight champion still believes that it is a very intriguing stylistic matchup. “There’s different elements to it. The grappling element; Jan might just try and do that early on to take away his power. In a three-round fight, I think it’ll be on the feet. But Jan is definitely going to try and take him down. He’s not stupid.”
Stylebender said that he thinks that the Brazilian will start quickly in the fight. “That’s what he likes to do. He likes to come in and try and own the space. It won’t be crazy fast. But he’ll put that pressure on straight away and make Jan feel his presence.”
Israel Adesanya Talks UFC 291 Co Main Event
Quotes via MMA Junkie
Adesanya also said that he’d be surprised if the fight went the distance, but that if the full 15 minutes were fought that the Pole would be the likely victor.
UFC 291 will also feature a bout for the BMF belt, in the main event, between Dustin Poirier and Justin Gaethje, as well as contests between Stephen ‘Wonderboy’ Thompson and Michel Pereira, Tony Ferguson and Bobby Green, and Michael Chiesa and Kevin Holland.
Do you think that Alex Pereira will finish ‘The Polish Power’? Let us know in the comments below.
