Adesanya (24-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) will have a chance to become the first three-time middleweight champion when he challenges Du Plessis (21-2 MMA, 7-0 UFC) in a bout on Aug. 17 at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.

“The Last Stylebender” turns 35 next week and could be facing his final shot at the UFC belt if things don’t go his way. It’s a big moment for Adesanya and arguably the biggest opponent of his career wants him to succeed and hold UFC gold once again.

Pereira (11-2 MMA, 8-1 UFC), who has fought Adesanya four times in combat sports (2-0 in kickboxing, 1-1 in MMA), wants Adesanya to succeed against Du Plessis.

“They asked me about Adesanya and Du Plessis – I said I don’t see Adesanya losing,” Pereira said on his YouTube channel. “Just because he said that about me doesn’t mean I’m going to say the same thing. That’s my opinion. I don’t think he’s going to lose this fight. I hope he wins because he has a good story. I think he should continue his story. He’s not a young guy.”

Pereira, 37, has said in the past that he was open to training with Adesanya and that he harbors no ill will despite their history. There have been many exchanges of words between the two sides in recent years, but with Adesanya fighting for the 185-pound belt and Pereira currently dominating the light heavyweight division as UFC champion, there’s no point in a clash.

Adesanya has been betting heavily on Pereira recently, with predictions that Jamahal Hill would win at UFC 300 and Jiri Prochazka would dethrone the Brazilian at UFC 303 going the other way.

Pereira, however, won’t respond with the same type of prediction and instead said he will support Adesanya raising his hand at UFC 305.

“I’m here, I support him,” Pereira said. “I’ve already fought him, I’m not going to say he should have lost. I’m not mad at him. I don’t hold a grudge. Like I said, if it’s possible to train with him one day, to exchange information. We hear a lot about Adesanya behind the scenes. A lot of people say things about him like, ‘He’s this, he’s bad.’

“People that I’ve come into contact with and who really know him say good things about him. He has a good heart. A lot of times it’s just marketing. I believe it. I can see that he’s a good person. That’s why I’m here, supporting him. If he doesn’t support me, that’s not my problem. But I’m here, supporting him.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s UFC 305 event center.