Alex Pereira sets the record straight on whether he contributed to Sean Strickland's win over Israel Adesanya

Alex Pereira was among the select few fighters who gave Sean Strickland a chance to dethrone Israel Adesanya leading up to UFC 293. Strickland defied all odds and secured an emphatic unanimous decision victory over Adesanya.

'Tarzan's lopsided unanimous decision win over Adesanya last weekend will be remembered as one of the most remarkable upsets in UFC history. What made this victory even more extraordinary was that the fight was only scheduled four weeks before the event took place.

Alex Pereira, who had previously defeated Adesanya three times across multiple combat sports (twice in kickboxing and once in MMA), has trained with Sean Strickland in the past. While these training sessions weren't specifically tailored for the Adesanya fight, speculation ran rampant within the MMA community that 'Poatan', given his extensive experience against Adesanya, might have imparted valuable insights and strategies to overcome 'The Last Stylebender'.

Speaking about the Strickland vs. Adesanya fight on his YouTube channel, Alex Pereira detailed how the sparring sessions with the freshly crowned middleweight champion led him to believe that he could pull out the upset victory:

"I spent a few days training with Sean Strickland, and I got to see how talented he is... His strategies, and how tough he is, I got a better understanding of that from training than actually fighting with him... During practice, we have more room to play around and that's why I was sure he was going to win."

Alex Pereira further dispelled notions that training with him helped Strickland defeat Adesanya. He commented:

"Let me clarify. I had nothing to do with it, okay? He won on his own. It's totally his success because he's such a dedicated guy with a unique style."

Catch Pereira's comments below (0:45):

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Alex Pereira dispels notion that Israel Adesanya did not show up in his best form against Sean Strickland at UFC 293

With firsthand experience fighting both Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya, Alex Pereira possesses the unique acumen to dissect the middleweight clash that unfolded at UFC 293. 'Poatan' secured a first-round knockout victory over Strickland at UFC 276 and subsequently dethroned Adesanya at UFC 281.

In the aftermath of Strickland's triumph over Adesanya, a prevailing narrative, bolstered by UFC president Dana White has emerged suggesting that Adesanya's performance fell short of his usual brilliance. Fight enthusiasts have been quick to highlight the 34-year-old's perceived deficiencies in creativity, speed, and octagon awareness, traits typically associated with his fights.

Speaking about the ongoing narrative in the aforementioned video, Alex Pereira said:

"A lot of people are [saying] that Adesanya wasn't his best. Adesanya didn't fight like he usually does. Clearly, Sean came in and shut his game down. He was really smart. He was moving forward all the time with an amazing defense. Let's not forget the precise strikes, he walked less, circled more, and landed the best attacks. And well, you all saw the result."