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Israel Adesanya Gives One-Sided Prediction For Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad At UFC 304: ‘He’s On A Massacre Right Now…’

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has a strong idea of how Saturday’s main event title fight in Manchester will play out. Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is back across the pond this week to stage its first card in the English city of Manchester in close to a decade. And among the home fighters […]

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya Gives One-Sided Prediction For Leon Edwards vs. Belal Muhammad At UFC 304: ‘He’s On A Massacre Right Now…’ at MMA News.

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has a strong idea of how Saturday’s main event title fight in Manchester will play out.

Mixed martial arts’ leading promotion is back across the pond this week to stage its first card in the English city of Manchester in close to a decade. And among the home fighters looking to thrill the UK crowd is reigning welterweight kingpin Leon Edwards.

Following successful defenses of his gold opposite Kamaru Usman and Colby Covington in 2023, “Rocky” is next tasked with getting the better of Belal Muhammad at the second time of trying.

While their first fight back in 2021 ended in a no contest due to an accidental eye poke, the champ believes he was firmly en route to a knockout at the Apex. And with that in mind, the Jamaica-born Brit expects to finish the job inside the Co-op Live this weekend.

In that regard, he has the support of one notable former two-time UFC champ…

Adesanya ‘Not Hating On Belal’, But Sees A Finish For Edwards At UFC 304

During a video recently uploaded to his FREESTYLEBENDER YouTube channel, Adesanya provided his breakdowns and predictions for the major title fights set to play out in Manchester on July 27.

When it comes to the main event, Adesanya had little doubt backing his fellow Chosen Advisory-managed fighter to emerge with the gold still in his possession at UFC 304, even predicting that he’ll get the job done before the championship rounds.

“Belal’s got pressure, man. It just seems like he’s able to get to people and put his will on them,” Adesanya said. “But I’ll tell you one thing, this is a different version — Leon just seems like he’s on a massacre right now; he’s on a run. Leon might finish him. I think Leon finishes this fight.

“I’m trying to see how Belal can win this fight. This seems like a bad match for Belal. I’m not hating on Belal or anything, I’m just trying to see what’s his path to victory in this,” Adesanya continued. “Striking, Leon’s got it. Grappling, you wanna lean towards Belal but Leon is right up there. It’s Leon’s fight to win, Leon’s fight to lose. … Leon’s too crisp compared to Belal. He’s just too sharp. … Leon by knockout in the third round, second or third round.”

Edwards will look to make Adesanya’s prediction a reality come fight night, when he’s vowed to end Muhammad’s championship ambitions inside the distance with an emphatic performance and stoppage on home soil.

Read More: Fans React As Belal Muhammad Says UFC 304 Win Puts Him Right Below GSP: ‘People Who Believe The Moon Is Made Of Cheese Are Less Wrong’

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Israel Adesanya weighs 230lbs before UFC 305 title fight return: ‘He’s hitting like a truck’

Israel Adesanya weighs 230lbs before UFC 305 title fight he's hitting like a truck According to his long-time City Kickboxing training partner, Dan Hooker, former two-time middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya has ballooned up…

According to his long-time City Kickboxing training partner, Dan Hooker, former two-time middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya has ballooned up to 230lbs ahead of his title fight at UFC 305 next month – and his putting some serious power behind his shots in sparring.

Adesanya, a former two-time undisputed middleweight gold holder, is slated to make his return next month in the main event of UFC 305, taking on arch-rival, Dricus du Plessis in his quest for a third title reign as he features ‘Dowunder’ for the second straight fight.

Israel Adesanya vows to beat every fighter in fantastic fashion before UFC career ends

Last time out, the Nigerian-Kiwi headlined UFC 293 in September of last year, dropping a one-sided unanimous decision loss to the outspoken current number one contender, Sean Strickland, in a massive upset victory for the now-former champion.

Dricus du Plessis mocks Israel Adesanya over kiss me jibe ahead of UFC 305 I'm not a dog

Israel Adesanya gains huge weight pre-UFC 305

Returning to action next month in tandem with Hooker – who is booked to take on Polish lightweight star, Mateusz Gamrot at the RAC Arena, Israel Adesanya has put on huge size ahead of his return in a championship setting, according to the Kiwi.

Israel Adesanya picks Jamahal Hill to beat Alex Pereira by KO in UFC 300 title fight — Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

“Israel (Adesanya) is – I can’t even bother sparring him at the moment,” Dan Hooker told Submission Radio. “Like the way he’s hitting me, I think he’s like 105 kilos (230lbs). “I’m just like, ‘F*cking just kick like, just kick me in the leg’. And I was like, ‘Ah get f*cked’. I was just like, nah. Yeah, like that. He’s had some time off, he was carrying some injuries. He spent a lot of time just packing on some size and like a lot of strength, bro.”

“And he’s just hitting like a truck, man” Hooker continued. “Yeah, I can’t even be bothered sparring him, like he’s hitting too hard. So, I can’t wait until he can get out there. So if you think you can just walk in his front door and raid his fridge, I think you’re in for a rude awakening.”

Who do you think wins at UFC 305 next month: Dricus du Plessis or Israel Adesanya?

MMA News Today: Dan Hooker Reveals Israel Adesanya Has Bulked Up To 230 Pounds Ahead Of Dricus Du Plessis Fight, Jon Anik On Staying Impartial While Calling Friend Belal Muhammad’s Title Fight At UFC 304, & More

Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 15, 2024, we’re taking a look at: Dan Hooker Says Israel Adesanya Is Hitting Too Hard For Them To Spar One Another When Israel Adesanya returns at UFC 305 to try and recapture the middleweight […]

Continue Reading MMA News Today: Dan Hooker Reveals Israel Adesanya Has Bulked Up To 230 Pounds Ahead Of Dricus Du Plessis Fight, Jon Anik On Staying Impartial While Calling Friend Belal Muhammad’s Title Fight At UFC 304, & More at MMA News.

Welcome to MMA News Today, a daily feature running down the most interesting stories in the world of mixed martial arts. For July 15, 2024, we’re taking a look at:

Hooker says Adesanya sparring isn’t on his wish list right now
Anik never lets his relationships affect his commentary
Blaydes says he’s keeping things simple ahead of Aspinall rematch

Dan Hooker Says Israel Adesanya Is Hitting Too Hard For Them To Spar One Another

When Israel Adesanya returns at UFC 305 to try and recapture the middleweight title against Dricus Du Plessis, he will do so off the back of his longest break between fights since signing with the promotion.

“The Last Stylebender” decided to take some much-needed and well-earned time to regroup before jumping back inside the Octagon, following his loss to Sean Strickland.

In a recent interview with Submission Radio, his City Kickboxing teammate Dan Hooker spoke about how Adesanya has been bulking up outside of training camp.

The lightweight contender, who has sparred with the former middleweight champion for a long time, said that his fellow New Zealander is starting to pack too much of a punch for him to trade shots with.

“I can’t even be bothered sparring him at the moment like the way he’s hitting. I think he’s like 105 kilos [around 230 pounds], I’m just like f******, kicked me in the leg and I was like ‘get f*****!’. He’s had some time off, he was carrying some injuries, he spent a lot of time just packing on some size and like a lot of strength bro and he’s hitting like a truck man. I can’t even be bothered sparring him… like he’s hitting too hard.”

Jon Anik Says Relationship With Belal Muhammad Won’t Affect His UFC 304 Commentary

It’s only natural for UFC commentators to have relationships and friendships with some of the fighters that are signed to the roster.

This is especially difficult in a sport like MMA where the highs are so high and the lows are so low but Jon Anik always looks to separate his work from his personal feelings.

At UFC 304, Anik’s friend Belal Muhammad will finally get his first shot at welterweight gold when he challenges Leon Edwards on July 27.

Anik spoke in a recent interview with InsideFighting about how he always looks to serve the moment and both fighters as best as he can, regardless of whether he has personal connections to them.

“No, I feel like once the athlete hits the tunnel, any of those types of feeling or emotions go away. As I’ve said repeatedly, Dominick Cruz is probably the guy I’m closest to, I mean Belal’s obviously right there on his heels as are other athletes.

“you establish a lot of interpersonal relationship and you can’t help that but it certainly doesn’t affect the call. I can assure you and everybody else if Leon Edwards head kicks Belal Muhammad into oblivion, my call is going to reflect that and there was nothing hard about me screaming with veins popping out of my mouth, ‘Stipe gets his revenge’, even though he did it against Daniel Cormier.”

Curtis Blaydes Isn’t Adjusting His Approach For Fighting Tom Aspinall At UFC 304

In the co-main event in Manchester, Tom Aspinall’s interim heavyweight title will be on the line when he faces Curtis Blaydes in a rematch.

Blaydes, who is now a 22-fight veteran, has faced the majority of the top names at heavyweight at this stage.

He spoke in an interview with the media during this past weekend’s UFC Fight Night in Denver, about how his approach to this fight is the same as always.

Rather than working specifically on his opponent’s approach, Blaydes simply looks to bring the best version of himself to England in order to come away with the win.

“Conditioning (has been the focus in camp). That’s the same old,” Blaydes said. “I don’t adjust for anyone. I have prepared for this fight the same way I prepare for everyone. I don’t like to add extra adjustments, extra things to think about. There’s already a whole lot, we don’t need to add anything else.

“Just a normal, standard fight camp,” Blaydes continued. “Eight weeks of sparring, drilling, running, icing; normal stuff.”

Read more on the story here.

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Alex Pereira backs Israel Adesanya to win title fight in return at UFC 305: ‘He has a beautiful story’

Undisputed light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira has wished his four-fight opponent, Israel Adesanya luck in his title fight at…

Undisputed light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira has wished his four-fight opponent, Israel Adesanya luck in his title fight at UFC 305 next month in Australia, claiming he hopes the former middleweight champion wins the title in his fight with Dricus du Plessis.

Pereira, a former undisputed middleweight champion and the incumbent light heavyweight gold holder, has twice faced Adesanya in both Kickboxing and mixed martial arts – establishing a 3-1 record against the City Kickboxing star during their respective combat sports careers.

Manager picks surprise rematch for Alex Pereira after UFC 303 win that's underwhelming

And minting himself as the undisputed middleweight gold holder back in 2022, Pereira handed Adesanya his first loss at 185lbs with a stunning, come-from-behind knockout win at Madison Square Garden in their title clash.

Most recently headlining UFC 303 at the end of last month, Pereira turned in the second successful defense of his light heavyweight crown with a blistering second round high-kick knockout win over two-time foe, Jiri Prochazka.

Alex Pereira hopes Israel Adesanya wins title at UFC 305

And ahead of Adesanya’s title charge at UFC 305 next month ‘Downunder’, Pereira has wished his former opponent well, claiming he has a “beautiful story” in combat sports.

Alex Pereira claims Israel Adesanya is not the same since he knocked him out he changed a little bit — Mandatory Credit: Zuffa LLC

“I don’t think he (Israel Adesanya) loses this fight [against Dricus du Plessis],” Alex Pereira said on his YouTube channel. “I hope he wins because he has a beautiful story. I think he has to continue his story. He isn’t a young guy. He talked a little about wanting to stop [fighting]. I think he has that in mind, I think he should continue his plans. I don’t think he finished his plans, I don’t know if he finished them he would of stopped, so if he is still there he still has a dream. I don’t know.”

“… I’m here supporting him,” Alex Pereira continued. “I already fought him, I’m not going to say he should lose. I’m not mad at him, no grudges. Like I said, if one day it’s possible to train with him exchanging knowledge.”

What are your thoughts on Alex Pereira’s rivalry with Israel Adesanya?

Referee Marc Goddard ‘specifically requested not to’ officiate Pereira vs. Adesanya rematch at UFC 287

Marc Goddard wanted nothing to do with Israel Adesanya’s UFC rematch with Alex Pereira. Goddard is considered by many…

Marc Goddard wanted nothing to do with Israel Adesanya’s UFC rematch with Alex Pereira.

Goddard is considered by many to be one of the UFC’s most respected referees, often acting as the third man in the Octagon for some of the biggest fights in the promotion’s history. That includes his role in the UFC 281 encounter between former middleweight world champions Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira.

On that night, ‘The Last Stylebender’ surrendered the 185-pound crown to his GLORY Kickboxing foe via a shocking fifth-round knockout. However, the stoppage was the subject of some criticism with many suggesting that Goddard stepped in too early and should have allowed Adesanya more time to recover.

Marc Goddard refereeing Pereira vs. Adesanya

Adesanya himself was also critical of the stoppage, prompting Goddard to request that he not be involved in their rematch at UFC 287 five months later.

“Do you remember when Israel Adesanya fought Alex Pereira for the second time in Miami? I specifically requested not to do that fight [too],” Goddard said during an appearance on the Overdogs Podcast.

“Me and him are [fine], I’ve refereed him since, I’ve refereed his fight with Sean Strickland, but I actually removed myself because what I didn’t want to do was walk in the dressing room, I was thinking of the fighter then, this is his night, it’s all about him. I didn’t want to walk into that dressing room and him to have any form of negative connotations or something like that.”

“So, I just thought that the right thing to do and the fairest thing to do by him is just stay out of the fight and give it to another ref. There’s been a couple of incidences where there’s [been] certain fighters that I would rather not [officiate] for personal reasons” (h/t Bloody Elbow).

Marc Goddard will never referee a Leon Edwards fight

Goddard also revealed during the conversation that there is one specific fighter you will never see him in the Octagon with, though for a very different reason.

“Here’s a classic case, Leon Edwards — you’ve never seen me referee Leon Edwards in the UFC and you never will, why? Because I was Leon Edwards’ first MMA coach,” Goddard revealed.

“[That was] way, way back when he was an amateur but it’s a common-sense element for me, even though the link is so [dated], who knew then when Leon first walked in… But you’ve never saw me referee him and you never will because we just keep it out of the way.”

Outside of the obvious reasons, Goddard also explained that he doesn’t want to find himself “in a predicament where I’m making a call that could go against him so it’s both ways.”

Israel Adesanya Explains How He’ll Deal With Dricus Du Plessis’ ‘Uniqueness’ At UFC 305

Israel Adesanya is returning to the Octagon to face Dricus Du Plessis for the UFC middleweight championship at UFC 305 in Perth. Last September, he lost the title to Sean Strickland in a huge upset and awaits to finally settle his rivalry with “Stillknocks.” On his rather quick path to becoming the kingpin, Du Plessis […]

Continue Reading Israel Adesanya Explains How He’ll Deal With Dricus Du Plessis’ ‘Uniqueness’ At UFC 305 at MMA News.

On his rather quick path to becoming the kingpin, Du Plessis defeated the likes of Robert Whittaker, Derek Brunson, and Darren Till. With his unusual grappling style and striking, which were initially doubted heavily by many MMA enthusiasts, he’s become a hard nut to crack in the middleweight division.

Here’s how Adesanya, one of the most celebrated strikers ever, plans to counter Du Plessis’ unique style at UFC 305…

Israel Adesanya Aims To Stick To His Classic Style To Beat Dricus Du Plessis At UFC 305

Adesanya recently appeared in an interview uploaded on The Sias du Plessis Show YouTube channel. The former two-time UFC middleweight champion seemed unbothered by his next opponent’s unpredictable style and physicality.

“The Last Stylebender” remembered his KO win over Alex Pereira, who appeared to hold a size advantage over all middleweights in the UFC. Accordingly, Du Plessis’ size and unorthodox style on fight night won’t compel Adesanya to change his strategy.

“I fought the largest middleweight, Alex Pereira, and I knocked him out,” Adesanya said. “How am I gonna deal with Dricus’ uniqueness? It’s just be unique myself. Be unique to who I am. Never again will I ever stray away from my style or my flow just because I wanna do something different or pander or anything like that.”

Adesanya also revealed that he plans to fight like his usual self at UFC 305. Fans can expect him to maintain distance and attempt to piece up Du Plessis from the outside with clean strikes if this is true.

“I’m always gonna stick to my style and stick to what I do best, which is beating people up in fantastic fashion. And, yeah, I’ve done that my whole career, and I wanna get back to that,” Adesanya added. “I’m not really worried about the outcome. It’s more about the journey.”

The Nigerian-New Zealander repeatedly mentioned that he wants to enjoy the process rather than worry about the outcome of his fight with Du Plessis.

Will this mindset, accompanied by his classic striking style, be enough to reclaim gold at UFC 305? Only time will tell.

Read More: Ian Garry Doesn’t Expect Kamaru Usman To Be An Option Post-UFC 303: ‘I Believe He’s Going To Run Scared’

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