Israel Adesanya News

Yoel Romero, Ja
UFC

Yoel Romero takes post-fight dig at Israel Adesanya, proclaims himself the 'people's champ'

Tom Taylor - March 9, 2020

Yoel Romero and Israel Adesanya’s UFC 248 middleweight title fight failed to live up to expectations, and both fighters seem to agree it’s because the other was afraid. Romero suggested exactly that on Twitter on Monday morning, sharing a heavily edited screenshot of the Wikipedia entry for the word “fear.”

Israel Adesanya, Kobe Bryant
UFC

Israel Adesanya feels he proved Yoel Romero isn't 'made of steel'

Tom Taylor - March 9, 2020

Israel Adesanya believes that he proved Yoel Romero isn’t “made of steel” at UFC 248. Adesanya, the UFC middleweight champion, defended his title against Romero in the card’s main event, winning a controversial and undeniably slow decision over the Cuban.

Israel Adesanya
UFC

Photo: Check out the judges scorecards for Israel Adesanya vs. Yoel Romero

Adam D Martin - March 8, 2020

The judges’ scorecards for the UFC 248 main event between Israel Adesanya and Yoel Romero tell the story of a close, but clear decision win for the champ. Not much happened for 25 minutes between Adesanya and Romero. Both men were very timid for the five rounds, with few strikes being thrown. Ultimately, though, the judges felt that Adesanya did more and gave him the decision nod. That being said, no one really knew how they would score it before the official scorecards were read.

Weili Zhang, Israel Adesanya, Dana White
UFC

Israel Adesanya throws shade at Yoel Romero, praises Weili Zhang and Joanna Jedrzejczyk

Adam D Martin - March 8, 2020

UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya threw shade at Yoel Romero after their UFC 248 main event, while praising Weili Zhang and Joanna Jedrzejczyk. Adesanya and Romero met in a highly-anticipated main event for the middleweight belt, but the fight turned out to be anything but. Very few strikes were thrown during the 25-minute affair, but ultimately the judges did find the champion to be the more effective fighter and awarded him a unanimous decision victory to retain his title.

Israel Adesanya, UFC 243, Dan Hooker
UFC

Israel Adesanya opens up on experiences with racism

Tom Taylor - March 6, 2020

UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is no stranger to racism, and says it exists everywhere. Adesanya shared his thoughts on racism in a recent interview with MMA Fighting.

Michael Bisping, Israel Adesanya
Michael Bisping

Michael Bisping: 'I'd take the belt off Israel Adesanya pretty easily' if I was still fighting

Mike Pendleton - March 6, 2020

In the main event of this weekend’s UFC 248, UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will look to defend his title for the first time after he claimed the undisputed championship from former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 last October. As Adesanya prepares for his first title defense against Yoel Romero, former middleweight champion Michael Bisping, who is now retired, believes he’d be able to beat Adesanya if he was still fighting. During an interview with MMA Tonight on Sirius XM, Bisping was asked about the upcoming main event title fight. While he praised both Adesanya and challenger Yoel Romero, Bisping said if he was still actively fighting, he’d be able to take the belt off Adesanya “pretty easily”.

Paulo Costa, Israel Adesanya, UFC 253
Paulo Costa

Israel Adesanya wants to get to Paulo Costa 'before USADA does'

Tom Taylor - March 5, 2020

UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya believes top contender Paulo Costa will inevitably get busted by the United States Anti-Doping Agency, and wants to get to the Brazilian before that happens. Costa, who is a perfect 13-0 as a pro, cemented himself as the middleweight division’s top contender last August when he defeated Yoel Romero with a close decision win. Unfortunately, he then sustained a bicep injury which kept him on the sidelines, while Romero was granted the next shot at Adesanya.

Israel Adesanya
UFC

Israel Adesanya explains why he's well-prepared to deal with superstardom

Tom Taylor - March 5, 2020

UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is already a big star, but the expectation is that could become a downright superstar for the promotion. Superstardom, of course, comes with some unique pressure.

Weili Zhang, Israel Adesanya, Dana White
Israel Adesanya

Dana White discusses star power of Israel Adesanya, Weili Zhang

Tom Taylor - March 4, 2020

UFC strawweight champion Weili Zhang and UFC middleweight champ Israel Adesanya come from different worlds, but the two fighters definitely have one notable thing in common: they both have the potential to become massive stars for the UFC. At least, that’s what Dana White thinks. White commented on Zhang and Adesanya’s potential superstardom ahead of UFC 248 in Las Vegas, where the former will defend her title against Joanna Jedrzejczyk, and the latter will defend his belt against Yoel Romero.

Yoel Romero, UFC 241, UFC 248
UFC

Yoel Romero provides weight update for UFC 248 title fight with Israel Adesanya

Harry Kettle - March 3, 2020

Yoel Romero has provided an update as to how much weight he still has left to cut ahead of his UFC 248 title fight against Israel Adesanya this weekend. Romero is set for the opportunity of a lifetime on Saturday night as he attempts to take the UFC Middleweight Championship away from “The Last Stylebender”. Alas, while many fans are focused on the fight itself, many are wondering whether or not the “Soldier of God” will even be able to get to that point.

Israel Adesanya, Kobe Bryant
UFC

Israel Adesanya explains why he doesn’t fear 'boogeyman' Yoel Romero

Harry Kettle - March 2, 2020

Israel Adesanya has explained why he doesn’t fear the “boogeyman” Yoel Romero ahead of their UFC 248 clash in Las Vegas this weekend. Adesanya is set to compete for the first time since UFC 243 where he successfully unified the UFC Middleweight Championship with a resounding victory over Robert Whittaker. He’ll be going up against Romero, who has lost three of his last four fights, but is still consider a dangerous challenge for the champ. 

Israel Adesanya, Kobe Bryant
UFC

Video | Israel Adesanya appears to be dealing with an arm issue ahead of UFC 248

Adam D Martin - March 1, 2020

UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya appears to be dealing with some sort of issue with his arm in a new video released in the days before UFC 248. In an interview with Combat TV, Adesanya appears to have some sort of bump on his left arm. Immediately, fans in the comments section already threw out the possibility of staph infection, though at this point that is just speculation.

Israel Adesanya
UFC

Israel Adesanya issues apology for controversial “twin towers” comment

Christopher Taylor - February 23, 2020

UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has issued an apology for his controversial comment involving the twin towers. During the UFC 248 press conference call, ‘Stylebender’ suggested that he would make his next opponent Yoel Romero crumble like the “twin towers” next month in Las Vegas.

Israel Adesanya, Paulo Costa, Stephen Thompson
Paulo Costa

Paulo Costa slams Israel Adesanya for using 9/11 reference in trash talk

Chris Taylor - February 22, 2020

Paulo Costa has unloaded on reigning UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya for his questionable 9/11 remark at the UFC 248 press conference. At Friday’s press conference in Las Vegas, ‘Stylebender’ raised eyebrows when he stated that he would make his UFC 248 opponent Yoel Romero “crumble like the twin towers”.

Israel Adesanya, Kobe Bryant
Stipe Miocic

Coach: Israel Adesanya will 'definitely look to move and challenge Stipe' in the future

Tom Taylor - February 17, 2020

ofOver the last few months, much has been made of a potential super fight between UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. Adesanya is seemingly all for this matchup with the heavier man — and that’s not where his inter-divisional ambition ends either. Speaking to  Submission Radio recently, Adesanya’s head coach Eugene bareman claimed the middleweight champ is legitimately interested in climbing all the way to heavyweight to challenge the champ Stipe Miocic in the future.

Israel Adesanya
UFC

VIDEO | Israel Adesanya delivers impassioned speech after winning New Zealand Sportsman of the Year award

Tom Taylor - February 13, 2020

This week, UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya received a massive honor in his homeland, winning the award for New Zealand Sportsman of the Year. In victory, Adesanya delivered a lengthy and impassioned speech. Suffice it to say the man is good behind the mic.

Jon Jones, Israel Adesanya, Daniel Cormier
Jon Jones

Israel Adesanya says Jon Jones is 'washed up' after UFC 247 performance

Cole Shelton - February 10, 2020

Israel Adesanya was not impressed by Jon Jones’ performance at UFC 247. In the main event of UFC 247, Jones edged out a decision win over Dominick Reyes, in a bout many fighters and fans thought the challenger had won. It was a close fight and for the second fight in a row, many thought “Bones” should have lost his title.

Jon-Jones-Israel-Adesanya
Jon Jones

Israel Adesanya reacts to Jon Jones defeating Dominick Reyes at UFC 247

Christopher Taylor - February 8, 2020

Israel Adesanya was clearly keeping an eye on tonight’s UFC 247 main event between Jon Jones and Dominick Reyes. Reyes, now 12-1 in MMA, was challenging Jones for the promotions coveted light heavyweight title in the headliner of tonight’s pay-per-view event in Houston.