Alex Pereira wants Israel Adesanya next after becoming two-weight champion at UFC 295

Alex Pereira made history on Sunday morning by becoming the fastest athlete to capture UFC belts in two different weight classes – and immediately called out long-time rival Israel Adesanya for a trilogy MMA bout.

Pereira, 36, recorded an impressive second-round knockout win against Jiri Prochazka at UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden to clinch the vacant light heavyweight title.

The Brazilian wobbled the former champion with a right and then dropped him with a short left, before a flurry of elbows convinced referee Marc Goddard to stop the fight – although many watching thought Prochazka could have continued.

In winning, Pereira becomes only the ninth fighter in UFC history to claim belts in multiple divisions, and the quickest ever in the promotion. It took Pereira only seven fights to enter the record books.

The victory in New York came 364 days after the former two-division Glory Kickboxing champion defeated Adesanya for the middleweight crown at the same venue.

Back then, Pereira knocked out his former kickboxing foe but would lose the rematch in April. Pereira also has two kickboxing wins against Adesanya, who is taking an indefinite break from the sport after losing the middleweight belt to Sean Strickland in September.

Speaking inside the octagon, Pereira challenged Adesanya to step up to light heavyweight and face him in a third title fight.

“I’m not the type of guy to call people out, but there’s a guy that back in the day did some interviews and said I was a guy who was just going to stay in the bar,” Pereira said through a translator. “That motivated me. He rescued me from a bar to be here today.

"This guy said he just wants to come back and fight in 2027. I think he’s a very talented guy. It’s a waste of