In a recent press conference, the present middleweight champion Israel Adesanya attempted to pull off one of those “mic drop” moments. He did so by declaring to make longtime kickboxing opposition Alex Pereira “Frozen like Elsa” in the UFC 281 main event on November 12 in New York. He stated so by giving a reference to the Disney animated film, Frozen.

Jon Jones, a former light heavyweight champion, was disappointed. Pereira wasn’t either, even though he had been in Times Square earlier in the week for the “Big Apple” fight week events. There are typically a dozen or more costumed characters parading around at any given time in midtown Manhattan so it might not be intentional.

Statements made by Adesanya which angered Alex Pereira

Israel Adesanya publicly claimed “f*ck the belt” and that his only goal for UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden in New York is to defeat Alex Pereira, but “Poatan” doesn’t buy that explanation.

Pereira stated on this week’s episode of the MMA Fighting podcast Trocaço Franca that he was “a little confused” by those remarks because defeating him would already mean that he maintained the middleweight championship.

Before becoming a two-division champion in Glory, Pereira defeated Adesanya twice in kickboxing. Meanwhile, “The Last Stylebender” made the switch to MMA full-time soon after suffering his second loss to Pereira. A year later, he joined the UFC and began the incredible run that eventually resulted in his winning the UFC championship.

The Brazilian believes that the UFC champion is concerned because “he knows how dangerous I am” in addition to his previous kickboxing victories over the champion.