Alex Pereira Congratulates Israel Adesanya on Hall of Fame Induction

Las Vegas, Nevada – Former two-division UFC champion Alex Pereira paid tribute to Israel Adesanya after his induction into the UFC Hall of Fame on June 27, 2025. Adesanya, the former UFC middleweight champion, was honored for his thrilling fight against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236.

The fight, which took place six years ago, is remembered as one of the most exciting bouts in MMA history. Adesanya won the match by unanimous decision, securing the interim UFC middleweight title. The bout was marked by heavy exchanges, including one of the few times Adesanya was knocked down during his career.

Adesanya’s victory at UFC 236 launched him into stardom, while Gastelum’s performance remains a highlight of his career, despite falling short of earlier expectations. Adesanya has had numerous rivalries throughout his career in both MMA and kickboxing, including two notable encounters with Pereira.

At UFC 281, Adesanya was poised to defeat Pereira, but Pereira secured a late TKO victory. However, Adesanya avenged this loss at UFC 287, knocking out Pereira in the second round. Despite their heated rivalry, both fighters have since shown mutual respect.

Shortly after the Hall of Fame announcement, Pereira congratulated Adesanya via social media, stating, “This is sport!” Their interaction during UFC 312 earlier this year, where they exchanged pleasantries cageside, drew attention from fans.

Pereira moved up to the light heavyweight division following his encounters with Adesanya and is seeking to reclaim the 205-pound title after losing it to Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 313.

While hopes for an immediate rematch with Ankalaev have stalled, Pereira is preparing for his return to the Octagon soon. An announcement regarding a potential rematch could be made in the coming weeks as Pereira plots his path back to championship status.