![Israel Adesanya (left), Alex Pereira (middle top), Israel Adesanya (middle bottom), Alex Pereira (right) [Image courtesy: Getty, @stylebender on Twitter, @alexpoatanpereira on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2022/09/8a47c-16643399407120-1920.jpg)
![Israel Adesanya (left), Alex Pereira (middle top), Israel Adesanya (middle bottom), Alex Pereira (right) [Image courtesy: Getty, @stylebender on Twitter, @alexpoatanpereira on Instagram]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%206.25'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Alex Pereira has trolled Israel Adesanya through his latest training clip ahead of their upcoming UFC 281 clash. Adesanya recently uploaded a video of himself practicing movement with a tennis ball drill that wasn't well received by fans. 'Poatan' took a dig at the UFC middleweight champion by training on top of a hoverboard.
The Brazilian wrote in the caption:
"Training with tennis ball is easy! I want to see boxing training on top of a hoverboard"
Watch Pereira train boxing on a hoverboard below:
Adesanya's training for UFC 281 was labeled 'different' by ESPN MMA based on the tennis ball video. However, unimpressed fans noted that Anderson Silva had mastered the drill almost a decade ago.
Alex Pereira will challenge Israel Adesanya for the middleweight title with only three UFC victories to his name and a 6-1 overall record. However, 'Poatan' is being touted as the only fighter capable of dethroning Adesanya, owing to his two kickboxing wins over 'The Last Stylebender'.
Henry Cejudo predicts a knockout win for Alex Pereira over Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya suffered the lone knockout loss of his professional kickboxing career against Alex Pereira in 2016. However, 'The Last Stylebender' has since grown leaps and bounds, having successfully transitioned to MMA and built his own legacy in the sport.
While Adesanya is expected to be a better mixed martial artist than Pereira, the Brazilian's nickname means 'stone hands'. Pereira has become synonymous with his lightning-fast left hook, which even 'The Last Stylebender' considers dangerous.
According to former UFC double champ Henry Cejudo, Pereira will get the better of Adesanya in their upcoming clash. With both fighters being predominantly strikers, 'Triple C' believes the middleweight champion will eventually have no answer for Pereira's stand-up game. Predicting a knockout win for 'Poatan', Cejudo said on his YouTube channel:
“As good as Israel is, Alexander just still has better striking. He knocked him out the last time they fought, he beat him the first time. If this fight goes on its feet, I just gotta go with Pereira... I got Pereira by knockout. I think he’s got more diversity and things of that nature. Stop me when I lie.”
Watch Cejudo's YouTube video below:
