Israel Adesanya and Jon Jones continue to banter back and forth

The undefeated Nigerian kickboxing sensation, Israel Adesanya had a star like quality to him that was evident as soon as he made his Octagon debut in February 2018. Five fights later and he’s now the interim champion of the middleweight division.

To earn that label, ‘The Last Stylebender’ defeated Kelvin Gastelum in a thrilling fight of the year candidate in UFC 236’s co-main event this past Saturday.

Prior to the big win, Adesanya made it clear that he is ‘hunting for Jon Jones.’ A statement that has led to some verbal exchanges between the two since. Well… It’s now Monday and it hasn’t slowed down yet.

On Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show, Adesanya described Jones as a bully for his timing of coming after him.

“He’s a c*nt,” Adesanya said on The MMA Hour. “First of all, there’s two variables I never expected in this game. The first was to fight [Anderson] Silva and now to fight Jon Jones. I have to adapt to that. So, he’s a c*nt and I say that because he’s picking the time when I’m supposed to get the most shine to come at me because he’s irrelevant. No one really cares about him. I’m everything he wished he was, I’m everything he wished he would have been. Like ‘Ooooh, I want to thank God’ and meanwhile he’s in the back *makes snorting noise* and the hiding under a cage to avoid USADA.

“I know some things, the streets are talking. Everyone knows what’s up behind the scene. So, I’m everything he wished he was. People don’t have to like me but it’s hard not to like me. Like, f*ck, I just put on one the best fights you’ve ever seen and I’m a nice guy. I’m actually a nice guy. I’m sure to his team and his people he’s actually nice but, yeah, I don’t know.”

“If he wants to come down to 185 [pounds] then I mean, hey, kill yourself to come down,” Adesanya continued. “I wouldn’t advise it. Eventually at a catchweight or something. I’ll come up. I like the sound of two belts. But he knows I’m getting better each fight.”

After Adesanya expressed his thoughts on the matter, it prompted some fired up responses from the light heavyweight champion.

“Bro how are you going to call me out talking about your ‘hunting the goat’, and then call me a bully for replying to you??” Jones tweeted. “You sound like you know you can’t beat me right now, so if that’s the case, keep my name out your mouth and we won’t have these problems.

“He doesn’t even have to show respect if he doesn’t want to, just don’t back down once you’re addressed next time. Kind of makes you look like a lil bitch real talk”

Jones continued on briefly saying that Adesanya ‘ain’t ready’ for a fight with him. Adesanya rebutted by reminding Jones of who mentioned who first.

“@JonnyBones …
Who called who out first?!
Keep my name out your mouth!!
I’m still working through 185, so sure you may have the better percentage ‘right now’. I’m getting better and better and better at a rapid rate. Your time will come when I say so.#iwontdelete

“I’m not weak mentally to need the aid of PED’s.” Adesanya’s tweet read.

For Jones, his next fight will be on July 6 when he looks to make his second successful title defense since reclaiming the title at the end of 2018. He’ll be looking to take out the red-hot Brazilian, Thiago ‘Marreta’ Santos in UFC 239’s main event.

Adesanya’s next fight has yet to be booked, of course. But he’ll face off with the undisputed champion, Robert Whittaker in a massive ANZAC showdown.

This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 4/15/2019