Dana White Won’t Rule Out Immediate Rematch for Alex Pereira, Israel Adesanya

Israel Adesanya’s middleweight resume may be enough to earn him an immediate rematch with Alex Pereira.

“I wouldn’t rule it out,” UFC president Dana White said of an Adesanya-Pereira rematch at the UFC 281 post-fight press conference on Saturday night.

Adesanya appeared to be on his way to a decision victory over Pereira before his former kickboxing rival swarmed with power punches for a technical knockout victory in the fifth round of the UFC 281 headliner at Madison Square Garden in New York. It was the first career defeat at 185 pounds for “The Last Stylebender.” Prior to Saturday, Adesanya had successfully defended the middleweight belt five times since becoming champion. White believes Adesanya’s willingness to take the bout against Pereira only adds to his credibility.

“You’ve got to show Israel [respect],” White said. “First of all, I was saying that this week and it’s the absolute truth, Israel Adesanya didn’t flinch about taking this fight. He likes to fight all the time. He took this fight. He wanted this fight. A lot of people talk publicly and it’s a whole different story behind the scenes. That guy’s an absolute stud. Always wants to stay active and a fight that most guys would stall, give me more time, this, that. He dove right into this fight.

“His only loss was when he tried to move up in weight to 205. You’ve got to respect him as a champ and what he’s done.”

White added that Adesanya’s strategy down the stretch may have led to his undoing against an opponent who upped his level of aggression when he needed to in the championship rounds.

“I think going into that fourth round, if he [Adesanya] was a little bit more aggressive in that fourth round, who knows what could have happened,” White said. “But when you start getting into the fourth, you’re winning the fight and then you get to the fifth and basically all you’ve got to do is stay away from him in the fifth and you’re winning the fight. Sometimes that strategy doesn’t work out.”

Pereira, who was 2-0 against Adesanya in kickboxing before Saturday’s victory, is open to the possibility of a rematch against his rival.

“It doesn’t matter to me. I’m going to fight whoever,” Pereira said through a translator. “They chose whoever I’m going to fight, and if that’s the fight they’re going to do, I’m going to be ready.”