Joe Rogan hails ‘perfect’ Israel Adesanya moment that finished Alex Pereira feud
Joe Rogan says this iconic Israel Adesanya moment couldn’t have played out any better.
From the kickboxing ring to the UFC Octagon, the former two-time UFC Middleweight Champion has experienced some of the sport’s highest of highs and the lowest of lows. Three of those lows were defeats to longtime rival Alex Pereira, the first fighter to knock him out cold in 2017.
In UFC commentator Joe Rogan’s eyes, Pereira is the scariest kickboxer of all time for his ferocious KO power, which makes Adesanya’s latest feat all the more impressive.
Israel Adesanya crossed paths with ‘Poatan’ a fourth time at UFC 287 in Apr. 2023, needing two rounds to close out a seven-year rivalry. Adesanya shelled up against Pereira’s attacks by expertly countering inside the pocket to KO Pereira in devastating fashion.
READ MORE: Israel Adesanya given advice from former opponent ‘to get back again’ amid three-fight losing streak
Photo by Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC via Getty ImagesJoe Rogan says Israel Adesanya had one of the greatest speeches of all timeAfter the fact, Adesanya immediately celebrated by firing imaginary arrows into Pereira and gave Joe Rogan an unforgettable post-fight interview while still inside the Octagon.
“I hope every one of you can feel this level of happiness just one time in your life,” Adesanya took over the microphone following his win over Pereira.
“You will never feel this level of happiness if you don’t go for something. When they knock you down, when they try to s*** on you. They try to put their foot on your neck. If you stay down, you will never ever get that result.
“Fortify your mind and feel this level of happiness as you rise one time in your life. I’m blessed to be able to feel this s*** again and again and again…
“One of the greatest speeches of all time,” Rogan said of Adesanya’s post-fight interview.
“It sounds like like 15 writers sat in a room and came up with the perfect lines,” Rogan added.
Joe Rogan: ‘You could never script that better in a movie’Looking back on the night Israel Adesanya won back his title, Rogan says UFC 287 was an all-time moment for ‘The Last Stylebender’ – his legacy forever solidified through his actions and words.
“I bet that just came out of the moment,” Rogan said of Adesanya’s speech.
“I didn’t even ask him. I should ask him next time I talk to him
“It was just right there. It was a perfect event for him. It was perfect.
“The way it went down was perfect,” Rogan continued. “You could never script that better in a movie. To see him flattened out out cold and then put arrows in his unconscious body…”
Alex Pereira was Israel Adesanya’s last win in the UFC, the former UFC Middleweight Champion losing his next three fights after that. With positive talks from his coach, Adesanya hopes to fight again in 2025.
