"Adesanya is keen to prove the critics wrong"

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UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has been tipped to fly the next time he steps into the Octagon by coach Abiola Beckley giving an update on Last Stylebender's training camp.

Adesanya is working as hard as ever to prepare for his UFC 281 main event against Alex Pereira.

"We're just getting ready for the fight-specific stuff, where we're starting to do the fast hand movements, the fast leg movements," Beckley said.

"Yeah, you'll see the difference, man will fly."

Adesanya's big goal here is obviously to retain his middleweight title, but he'll also be hungry to prove a point to all of his critics.

Pereira holds a 2-0 record against Israel in combat sports thanks to the wins he has over him in their kickboxing bouts.

The showdown in New York was a long time coming and seemed inevitable after International Fight Week, which saw Adesanya and Pereira record big wins in the division.

The next step has apparently always been for the two to look back on their previous encounters and while everyone knew it was plausible when Pereira signed, few could have imagined it would happen too quickly.

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