UFC 281: Dan Hardy names ideal opponent for Israel Adesanya if he beats Alex Pereira: "Just the fighting styles alone would be fascinating"

Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira are all set to face each other at UFC 281, with 'The Last Stylebender' hoping to defend his middleweight title for the sixth time.

The Nigerian-New Zealader has history with his next opponent, having previously faced him in the sport of kickboxing on two occasions and coming up short both times.

Former UFC welterweight Dan Hardy recently sat down on Submission Radio to discuss the upcoming UFC 281 headliner.

When asked about who could be Israel Adesanya's next opponent if he beats 'Poatan', Hardy stated that he thinks Adesanya should move up to light heavyweight again to challenge Jiri Prochazka in a fight he believes would be "absolute fireworks."

"Honestly, I think the best thing for Adesanya to do if he wins is to go back up to 205. A fight against Jiri Prochazka would be absolute fireworks. The UFC could really sell that as a headline pay-per-view. I mean, just the fighting styles alone would be fascinating."

Further analyzing Adesanya's future fighting prospects, Hardy added:

"He's in a bit of a difficult situation, isn't he? Ultimately, if he beats Pereira, he's effectively cleared out the division... I didn't see anything from Whittaker that gives me confidence that their fight will go any other way. I honestly can't think of anyone else in the middleweight division."

Catch the full interview below:

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Phil Hawes shares his prediction for Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira at UFC 281

Phil Hawes recently spoke to The Schmo and shared his thoughts on the upcoming middleweight title fight between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira at UFC 281.

When asked for his prediction, Hawes stated:

"Izzy's really good. I can see him being crazy enough to attempt a takedown. You know what I mean? I can expect that out of him because he's crazy. You know what I mean? He's an entertainer so I can see him doing something like that, but I think he gets it out. I think he squeaks by."

Catch Phil Hawes' prediction below:

Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira first fought each other in Shenzchen, China, in 2016 at Glory of Heroes 1. Pereira bested Adesanya via unanimous decision. In a rematch held in Sao Paulo, Brazil, in 2017, 'Poatan' managed to get the knockout against 'The Last Stylebender' in round three.

While it remains to be seen which one of the former kickboxing rivals will triumph on November 12 at UFC 281, the matchup certainly promises to entertain.