Arch-rivals Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira are set for an epic showdown this Saturday at UFC 287, as they step into the octagon for their second outing in the UFC, marking their fourth fight in total in combat sports. For Adesanya, this is more than just another fight; it’s an opportunity to reclaim the UFC middleweight title from the Brazilian Pereira, who has outworked the New Zealander in all their past three fights.

Pereira has proven himself to be a formidable opponent, and he’s determined to make sure the outcome of this fight mirrors the ones before. Despite the challenge, the 33-year-old Adesanya remains confident heading into the bout on April 8. Recently, the 33-year-old fighter drew parallels between him going into this fight, being like Eminem from ‘8 Mile’. He cited the rapper while talking about his present mindset, but it didn’t really connect with the fans.

Israel Adesanya sees himself alike of Eminem from ‘8 Mile’

This rematch is a make-or-break moment for Israel Adesanya, and he is ready to leave everything on the line. During a recent press conference, he reflected upon being 0-3 against Alex Pereira. But he sees it more as a calm before the storm moment for him as he compared the situation with Eminem in ‘8 Mile‘.

Adesanya said, “So, I’m down three[0-3 against Alex Pereira]… And this is my Eminem moment, my ‘8 Mile’ moment. ‘You got one shot, do not miss your chance to blow, this opportunity comes once in a lifetime’. And this is it. This is it for me.”

He further put forth the possibility of him turning the tables this time. And doing so in a rather spectacular fashion. “Imagine what if I get it done? What if I get it done better than he’s ever done it? What happens if I butcher him, and beat the f**k out of him? Because, I always do… We’ll find out. I do all this s**t and I beat his a** .”

Read more: “That’s Something That Definitely I Didn’t Expect”- Israel Adesanya Reveals a Key Trait That Surprised Him About Alex Pereira at UFC 281

Certainly interesting, the idea. However, it is invisible to UFC supporters. Noting in particular what the current tally between the two indicates.

Fans don’t find Adesanya’s comments convincing

Owing to the fact that Israel Adesanya is currently on a hat-trick of losses against Pereira, fight fans having a hard time taking his word at face value. They took to the comment section to offer their honest thoughts on the situation, expressing their doubts and concerns about his upcoming fight.

Check out how the fans reacted to Adesanya’s comments:

This fan feels the New Zealander revealed way too much there:

Wherein this fan doesn’t see any different outcome this time around, too:

Seems like Adesanya’s bravado isn’t a cup of tea for everyone:

A rather bold prediction here by this user on Israel Adesanya’s future after this rematch:

This user made a correction there on Adesanya’s words, and a little bluntly:

Adesanya’s image changed drastically for this fan:

A key difference between Adesanya and Pereira, as noted by this user:

Got a question there, and a big one in fact:

Israel Adesanya will have to back up his words with a strong performance in the octagon if he hopes to win back the support of his fans. Do you think he will be able to defeat Alex Pereira this time around? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Watch this story: The Saga of Bad Blood Between Alex Pereira vs. Israel Adesanya