Israel Adesanya showed he can still laugh at himself after longtime rival Alex Pereira landed one of the cover spots for EA Sports UFC 6.
The latest installment of the UFC video game franchise is expected to launch later this year, and fans recently learned that former two-division UFC champion Alex Pereira and former BMF titleholder Max Holloway will appear on separate editions of the cover.
It marks the first time either star has fronted a UFC video game cover. Instead of showing bitterness, Israel Adesanya reacted with humor.
The former UFC middleweight champion posted a playful response on social media, joking about an image of Pereira punching him that was used in the cover art.
“Who you know been on the cover 3 times?!?!?!” Israel Adesanya wrote.
The post referenced his previous appearances on UFC game covers, while also poking fun at the fact that one of Pereira’s most famous wins came against him.
It was a classic Adesanya move — turning an awkward moment into comedy.
The rivalry between Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira remains one of the most memorable in combat sports.
Their history began in kickboxing before carrying over into the UFC. Pereira stopped Adesanya in the fifth round at UFC 281 to capture the middleweight title in one of the biggest comeback wins in recent memory.
Adesanya answered six months later at UFC 287, knocking Pereira out cold in the first round to reclaim the belt and settle the score inside the Octagon.
Since then, Pereira has moved up and enjoyed massive success at light heavyweight. Pereira’s star power continues to rise, which made his UFC 6 cover selection no surprise.
He is now preparing for another historic challenge as he moves to heavyweight to face Ciryl Gane at UFC White House in June. A victory would make Pereira the first three-division champion in UFC history.
While Pereira keeps climbing, Israel Adesanya is looking to rebuild after a difficult stretch in his career.
The former champion has dropped four straight fights, including recent setbacks against Joe Pyfer and Nassourdine Imavov. Even so, Adesanya remains one of the biggest names in MMA and still knows how to command attention.
