UFC Fight Pass commentator Carlos
Barreto was disappointed by Alex
Pereira’s decision to call out Israel
Adesanya for a trilogy fight following his championship victory
at UFC
295.
Advertisement
“Adesanya tried to come up to light heavyweight and lost his first
fight against Jan
Blachowicz. ‘Poatan’ moved up, defeated Blachowicz and got the
belt after beating another former champion, [Jiri
Prochazka],” Barreto said on his weekly videocast, Papo de
Luta. “Adesanya already said he is taking some time off and in
addition, he has unfinished business to solve at middleweight with
[Sean
Strickland or Dricus Du
Plessis).
“‘Poatan’ should understand that the best storyline for him is
undoubtedly Jamahal
Hill. Glover [Teixeira] was beaten by Prochaska, and ‘Poatan’
avenged him. It would have been a perfect time to use the
microphone to say ‘Hill get well soon, I ́m waiting for you and I
́m going to beat you up and avenge Glover again.’ That’s the
narrative that will fill up his bank account. After that, he could
be called UFC and Glory double champion — and mentor double
avenger. Also, I believe Hill has a perfect style match up for
him.”
The Carlson Gracie black belt and former UFC and Pride fighter also
praised Prochazka for supporting referee Marc
Goddard’s controversial stoppage in the UFC 295 main event.
“Prochazka showed that he is not only a great fighter, but he also
has a great character,” Barreto said. “He was giving ‘Poatan’ a
tough fight. Most fighters would agree with Joe Rogan’s opinion and
put Goddard to the fire by asking for an immediate rematch — which
could probably be granted by the UFC. But he had a great attitude
recognizing the referee was right. Congratulations to him.”
Meanwhile, Barreto expects a long championship reign for
newly-crowned interim heavyweight king Tom
Aspinall.
“Anyone who followed my commentary on Saturday on UFC Fight Pass or
here on Monday on Papo de Luta knows that since his first fights in
UFC I said that this guy would be a future UFC champion,” Barreto
said. “As a heavyweight I always said Tom is a complete package. He
is fast as a middleweight, has great boxing skills and has a level
on the ground we haven’t seen since [Antonio
Rodrigo Nogueira and Fabricio
Werdum].
“Additionally, this kid has a champion’s mind. How many would
accept a short-notice invitation against a killer like Pavlovich,
who was coming from a complete camp? Jones and Miocic will fight
and retire and Aspinall’s reign will last. At least I don’t see
anyone to beat him now, after Jones retires.”