Israel Adesanya wants to see his City Kickboxing teammate Carlos Ulberg be the next person to challenge for the UFC light heavyweight title.
Adesanya, a former UFC middleweight champion, very much respects what former champ Jiri Prochazka did on Saturday at UFC 320. However, he still prefers to see a fresh matchup. Prochazka went to war on the main card of UFC 320 against former title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr. It was a fight he was losing, but ended up coming back in the third round to get a knockout in thrilling fashion. Yet, despite the memorable fight and finish, Adesanya wants to see Ulberg get next.
“I still think Carlos should get the next shot because, good fight, crazy fight, but if it’s Pereira again, they’re probably going to give it to Carlos, as they should,” Adesanya said on his YouTube channel, reacting to Prochazka vs. Rountree Jr.
After UFC 320, where Alex Pereira reclaimed his UFC light heavyweight title by stopping Magomed Ankalaev, “Poatan” voiced his desire to move up to heavyweight for superfights. Although that might be appealing to some, Adesanya wants him to stay at 205 pounds and defend his title.
“I think Carlos vs. Alex,” Adesanya said. “I like that. That should be next.”
As far as the performance itself, Adesanya was impressed with what he saw from his former foe. Adesanya knows Pereira quite well, as the two fought twice in kickboxing and twice in MMA, going 3-1 in favor of the Brazilian. Adesanya knew early in the fight that it was game over for Ankalaev.
“In the main event, wow, once Ankalaev went orthodox, I knew it was a wrap,” Adesanya explained. “I felt it was a wrap because you’re giving him the leg he likes. That means his right leg was compromised with inside leg kicks already. Yeah, he straight away attacked him, put him behind the black line, and then attacked the front leg. He didn’t in the last fight because his leg was compromised, or his foot was hurt, so that’s why he didn’t throw as much right low kicks. He threw two or three, Ankalaev switched, and that’s all she wrote, knockout by the champ.”
