Despite holding an impressive 20-0 record, UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya feels no pressure to remain undefeated.
Adesanya is coming off a second-round TKO victory over Paulo Costa at UFC 253 in September to make it two successful title defenses. He is now set to move up to light heavyweight and challenge Jan Blachowicz in an attempt to become a two-weight champion.
It’s a risky move as Blachowicz has serious knockout power while he is also much bigger than Adesanya and his usual opponents at middleweight. It also means his undefeated record is at risk more than usual.
But that’s not something that pressures Adesanya. After all, he has already lost before in kickboxing as well as boxing.
“That’s just one of those things that people try and put on you,” Adesanya told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’ve had losses in my past that never really changed who I am, never changed the fact that I’m a great fighter. A lot of the greats have had losses. And every time I’ve had a loss, I always come back and knocked someone out. Being undefeated is just a title. It’s one of those titles that people try to hold up like it’s something. But you should see me in the gym. Some days I get my licks, so I know I can be beat.
“But, when it’s under the lights, and the pressure is on, on the biggest stage, and I’m having fun, I’m a hard man to beat. I’m just gonna ride this out the way I’ve been riding it so far. Stay tuned.”
Adesanya certainly makes a good point.
All the best fighters — barring Khabib Nurmagomedov and Floyd Mayweather to name a very few — have suffered losses which have only made them better.
One could even say Adesanya’s previous losses contributed to his current 20-0 record in mixed martial arts where as things stand, he looks pretty much unstoppable.
What do you make of Adesanya’s comments? Do you think he can remain undefeated his whole MMA career?