Alex Pereira seemingly trolls ex-girlfriend, Israel Adesanya's prediction for UFC 319, RDR hopes for Khamzat Chimaev debacle: MMA News Roundup

Welcome to today's edition of Sportskeeda MMA News Roundup! Alex Pereira appears to have taken a jab at his ex-girlfriend after she claimed she was blacklisted from a Karate Combat event he attended. Meanwhile, Israel Adesanya shared his thoughts on the UFC 319 middleweight title fight between Dricus du Plessis and Khamzat Chimaev. Reinier de Ridder, who faces Robert Whittaker this weekend, is keeping a close eye on that matchup too. Let's break them all down:

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Alex Pereira posts mocking video as ex-girlfriend claims she's blacklisted from event

Alex Pereira has stirred up social media with a cryptic skit that fans believe is aimed at his ex-girlfriend, Merle Christine. The former UFC light heavyweight champion posted a reel on Instagram showing himself being playfully removed from a Karate Combat event.

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The timing raised suspicion, as Christine had just claimed she was blacklisted from attending Karate Combat 56. Christine vented on her Instagram story, which was later shared on X by several users.

She called the decision to block her unprofessional and accused Pereira of being obsessed. The pair had a public breakup, and the situation grew uglier when she celebrated his UFC 313 loss.

Check out the social media posts below:

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Israel Adesanya predicts Dricus du Plessis will stop Khamzat Chimaev late at UFC 319

Israel Adesanya is backing Dricus du Plessis to retain his middleweight title against Khamzat Chimaev. He has predicted a late finish for the South African.

Adesanya broke down the matchup on his YouTube channel during his UFC 318 reaction video. He acknowledged that Chimaev is dangerous early, but believes Du Plessis has the edge in championship rounds. He said:

"I still think Dricus gets it. I think it just [a] late finish. Late finish [for DDP]. Khamzat, I think [if Khamzat wins] it's the first two rounds. Dricus is just chaotic. Chaotic good, chaotic evil, that's literally what this fight might be."

Check out Israel Adesanya's comments below:

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Reinier de Ridder hopes Khamzat Chimaev pulls out of UFC 319

Reinier de Ridder might be focused on Robert Whittaker this weekend, but he’s already thinking about the middleweight title. If he beats Whittaker at UFC Abu Dhabi, De Ridder could position himself as the next man in line. And he’s hoping fate gives him a shortcut.

The Dutch contender said in an interview with Submission Radio that he’s still hoping Khamzat Chimaev pulls out of his UFC 319 fight against Dricus du Plessis. He said:

"I'm still hoping Khamzat pulls out last minute. It's two weeks after my fight, so maybe we can still get lucky... That'd be nice, that'd be nice. Maybe not too nice to make weight again, but we can discuss the terms after."

Check out Reinier de Ridder's comments below (9:40):

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Edited by Abhishek Nambiar