Israel Adesanya’s Former Rival and “Number One Contender” Predicted to Take On Alex Pereira if He Manages “To Beat Adesanya” According to a UFC Legend

UFC 287 is just days away and fight fans are gearing up for what promises to be a blockbuster event. Arch-rivals Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya are set to headline the Miami-based event for their rematch in what will be their fourth encounter in combat sports history. The Brazilian fighter currently holds the upper hand, having emerged victorious in all three of their previous matchups. As the reigning middleweight champion, Pereira is determined to add yet another zero to the New Zealander’s loss column.

This rematch has all the ingredients for a brutal brawl between the two foes. And the stakes are as high as they get. There are various viewpoints on how the battle will turn out. But if Pereira does triumph on April 8, Chael Sonnen, a seasoned UFC fighter, has already proposed another heavyweight from the division he thinks merits a chance at the championship.

Chael Sonnen picks the next challenge for Alex Pereira

During his recent video on YouTube, Chael Sonnen didn’t hold back in expressing his thoughts on who he thinks deserves the title shot against the reigning middleweight champion, Alex Pereira. The 45-year-old touted the ranked 2 middleweight fighter, Robert Whittaker, as the front-runner for the championship fight. According to Sonnen, Whittaker is one of the best fighters in the UFC, disregarding the divisions.

Sonnen said, “Robert Whittaker is quite possibly the number one contender for [Alex]Pereira’s championship. More than quite possibly.”

He continued, “If Pereira is to beat [Israel]Adesanya, I would predict for you that Robert Whittaker goes in next with Pereira.” And indeed, it makes sense, as Whittaker is one of the most spectacular fighters in the division. However, this fight against Alex Pereira only seems possible if Adesanya faces another upset in the rematch.

Read more: “Izzy Had Nowhere to Go”: UFC HOFer Michael Bisping Lays Out a Way Israel Adesanya Can Avoid Getting Knocked Out by Alex Pereira Again at UFC 287

Amidst all the hype surrounding the much-anticipated rematch, there’s a lot of talk that the Brazilian’s next move might not be in the middleweight. And it seems like his touted opponent, Robert Whittaker, sees it as a possibility as well.

Robert Whittaker sees ‘Poatan’ taking up big boys next

There’s been a lot of buzz around the UFC community lately regarding the possibility of middleweight champion Alex Pereira moving up in the weight class. The talk only intensified when Robert Whittaker, the former middleweight champion, recently addressed the issue during an interview. Whittaker stated that he doesn’t see Pereira moving up to just light heavyweight but believes that the Brazilian fighter will go all the way up to heavyweight. During an appearance on the MMArcade Podcast, Whittaker even went as far as to say that moving up a weight class would be a ‘warranted’ setup for ‘Poatan’.

“I think the talk [of moving up in weight-class] for him, in particular, is very warranted just because he’s a huge dude… He is monstrously big and he struggles with the cuts.”, said Robert Whittaker.

He continued, “I was surprised at how rough the cut was for him last fight to take the shots he did off [Israel]Adesanya… As well as to hold up stamina and cardio-wise for the five rounds. So, yeah, I think the talk about him going to heavyweight is definitely warranted.”

Having said that, a fight between Alex Pereira and Robert Whittaker would certainly be interesting. However, if the Brazilian moves up in division, there’s plenty of options for him there, too. Who would you want Alex Pereira to fight next? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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