‘I Created a Monster’: Israel Adesanya Takes Credit for Alex Pereira, Doesn’t Regret His ‘Guy in a Bar’ Comment

Israel Adesanya is moving past old rivalries and embracing personal growth. In recent months, he has mended relationships with two of his biggest rivals, Alex Pereira and Robert Whittaker, proving that sportsmanship is his priority. However, one comment from the past continues to spark discussion. You guessed it, it’s the infamous ‘guy in the bar’ remark about the light heavyweight champion, Pereira.

For those unfamiliar, Adesanya once said that Pereira would just be “a guy sitting in a bar saying, ‘Oh, I beat this guy twice in kickboxing,’” while Adesanya himself would be remembered among UFC legends. This was in reference to a video of Pereira knocking him out in a kickboxing bout going viral.

Pereira wasn’t an active fighter back then while Adesanya was the middleweight champion in the UFC. Adesanya’s remarks lit a fire under Pereira, who then joined the UFC within months of it, and then defeated Izzy to end his title reign. He would then move on to the 205 lbs division and win the lightweight title, defending it thrice in 2024 and becoming the biggest star the UFC has.

So, when a fan asked Adesanya during a Q&A session if he regretted making that remark, Izzy simply said, “I don’t regret it because I was right….I’m glad I did because it motivated him. Look what we’ve created. I created a monster.”

Israel Adesanya says he doesn’t regret calling Alex Pereira “that guy in a bar”

“I don’t regret it because I was right… I’m glad I did because it motivated him.

Look what we’ve created. I created a monster.”

@stylebender #UFC #MMApic.twitter.com/q0YCPTLcRO

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) February 20, 2025

Fans have reacted strongly to Adesanya’s latest comments. Some admire his honesty, while others believe it highlights just how much Pereira took his words to heart. Regardless, it’s clear that this rivalry has pushed both fighters to new heights.

‘The Last Stylebender’, on the other hand, seems to have come a long way from his cocky days as the middleweight champion. After making amends with Whittaker and Pereira, Izzy has now taken a stand for outgoing lightweight legend, Dustin Poirier.

Izzy hails Poirier’s interim title as real as any

Only a handful of fighters are as beloved as Poirier, making the thought of his eventual retirement a bittersweet one. Fortunately, the former interim lightweight champion has hinted at one more big fight before hanging up his gloves for good.

As speculation swirls about who his final opponent might be, Adesanya shared a heartfelt message for the man he once celebrated UFC championship glory alongside.

Adesanya and Poirier both claimed interim UFC titles on the same night, an achievement the middleweight still cherishes.

A fan-made video highlighting Poirier’s greatest UFC moments resurfaced on social media, describing him as the definition of a legend. This caught Adesanya’s attention, prompting him to reflect on their shared moment in Atlanta, Georgia, and say, “Dustin Poirier and I won our belts on the same night! ‘Undisputed’ or not, he was the champion, y’all can’t take that away from him. Head high my guy, let’s strive!”

 

Whenever I said UFC 243 was my first tittle defense, some get salty. I consider my “Interim” tittle win a tittle win, any fight after that is considered a tittle defense and a unification. Two things can be true at the same time . @DustinPoirier and I won our belts on the same… https://t.co/aVrJDSlb7X

— Israel Adesanya (@stylebender) February 20, 2025

Adesanya’s tribute to Poirier was met with widespread agreement from the MMA community, who recognized the sentiment as a powerful message from one UFC icon to another.