Alex Pereira on Vakhitov’s potential in UFC: ‘They aren’t Adesanya’

SALT LAKE CITY – Alex Pereira doubts Artem Vakhitov can recreate their kickboxing historical past within the UFC like he did with Israel Adesanya.

Vakhitov (2-1) will look to earn a UFC contract Tuesday when he meets Islem Masraf (3-0) at Dana White’s Contender Sequence 75 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Vakhitov and Pereira shared the Glory Kickboxing ring twice in back-to-back fights. Pereria gained their first struggle at Glory 77 in January 2021 by cut up determination, and Vakhitov was in a position to avenge that loss eight months later at Glory 78 by majority determination.

When Pereira made his strategy to the UFC, he got here in with two kickboxing wins over then UFC middleweight champion Adesanya. He was in a position to dethrone him by knockout to grow to be champion at UFC 281, however Adesanya gained the rematch with a knockout of his personal at UFC 287.

Pereira doesn’t suppose Vakhitov can replicate the identical storyline that he and Adesanya shared.

”I finished following kickboxing, so I type of don’t understand how he’s doing,” Pereira instructed MMA Junkie and different reporters via an interpreter at Wednesday’s UFC 307 media day. “I don’t know what his potential (is), however I feel combating me within the UFC at this level may very well be arduous.

“Individuals get mistaken. Typically they suppose that it’s simply straightforward to make a narrative like I did with Israel Adesanya – guys that beat me on a struggle way back and so they suppose that they only come right here and make the identical story. Bro, they don’t seem to be me. They aren’t Israel Adesanya.”

Pereira (11-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC) defends his mild heavyweight title in opposition to Khalil Rountree (14-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 307 (pay-per-view, ESPNews, ESPN+) principal occasion at Delta Middle in Salt Lake Metropolis.

For extra on the cardboard, go to MMA Junkie’s occasion hub for UFC 307.