Israel Adesanya lost his middleweight title to Alex Pereira a few months back. Overall, Adesanya was the favorite to win that match. However, Pereira proved to be an incredible opponent. Of course, Adesanya is a superstar in the UFC, and the league was hoping for him to extend his title run a bit longer. Although now, he will have to win a rematch against Pereira in order to earn his title back. That rematch is set to go down Saturday at UFC 287. Needless to say, it is going to be a whole lot of fun.
Of course, this is not going to be an easy task. While Israel Adesanya has the tools to get it done, Pereira will be eager to showcase that his win was no fluke. Interestingly enough, heading into the match, Adesanya will be the slight favorite. Despite losing the first matchup, the oddsmakers are giving the edge to Izzy. Subsequently, the UFC superstar spoke about these odds while appearing on the TMZ Sports TV Show. For the most part, he is actually surprised that the oddsmakers would make him the favorite.
Israel Adesanya Is Excited To Get His Title Back
"I am surprised [that I'm the favorite] to be honest, cause I thought these bookies were not as smart as they are," Adesanya said. "I'm surprised they actually picked me as the favorite cause I am the more polished fighter, but he's the guy who got the tools, he's got that nuke. Only a few fighters in history have that." Of course, Israel Adesanya agrees with this recent assessment. It's just that this was wholly unexpected given recent history. However, as we all know, odds have nothing to do with what actually goes down in the Octagon.
This will prove to be a very important match for Israel Adesanya. If he loses, he won't be competing for another title, anytime soon. Moreover, it would be devastating for the UFC who are struggling to find a bonafide superstar to throw their support behind. Let us know who you think is going to win, in the comments section below. Additionally, stay tuned to HNHH for the latest news and updates from around the sports world.
[Via]