December 22, 2024 9:15 am ET
Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is on the verge of competing in his first non-title struggle in six years, however says every part nonetheless feels the identical.
After back-to-back losses in title fights with heated builds, Adesanya (24-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) is comparatively at peace with the outcomes, particularly his final outing towards Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305. Adesanya and Du Plessis had a viral, but ugly, racially-charged face-to-face at UFC 290, which set the tone for his or her struggle.
“No, under no circumstances,” stated when requested if the loss to Du Plessis stung greater than others (by way of Adesayna’s YouTube channel). “I did my finest, and I used to be in fairly fine condition. … The Dricus struggle, I used to be in nice form. I f*cking felt sturdy, however yeah, positively room for enchancment, and we’ve made these enhancements.”
Adesanya’s first title struggle within the UFC got here at UFC 236 in April 2019. It was an interim title struggle towards Kelvin Gastelum that was one of the crucial intesne fights in both man’s profession. That was Adesanya’s third struggle on a UFC pay-per-view.
On Feb. 1, the previous champion will face Nassourdine Imavov at ANB Enviornment in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Will probably be Adesanya’s first struggle on a non-pay-per-view Battle Night time card since he confronted Brad Tavares at The Final Fighter 27 Finale in July 2018. Whereas it would mark the tip of a powerful streak, none of this bothers Adesanya.
“I nonetheless receives a commission,” Adesanya stated. “There’s nonetheless a referee, it’s two of us in there, there’s a crowd. It’s not like within the f*cking Apex or one thing, so it doesn’t really feel any totally different. I believe persons are making it out to be one thing how they’d react to it, however they’re not in my footwear. They’re not in my shorts.
“,,, It’s a Saudi Arabia Battle Night time, to begin with. I nonetheless receives a commission. It nonetheless feels such as you’re combating Israel Adesanya. That is the most important struggle of his life. I’ve to be the one to halt that. It nonetheless feels the identical. It doesn’t really feel any totally different.”
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