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Israel Adesanya ‘Was stepping up to fight’ at UFC 300 prior to booking of Pereira – Hill title headliner

Israel Adesanya was set to fight at UFC 300 in headliner before Pereira - Hill booking UFC lightweight Dan Hooker claims that Israel Adesanya was prepared to step in and fight at UFC 300. Following…

UFC lightweight Dan Hooker claims that Israel Adesanya was prepared to step in and fight at UFC 300.

Following his shock loss to Sean Strickland, it appeared that Adesanya was going to take some time away from the sport in what would be his first real break after an active combat career across both MMA and kickboxing.

However, after posting some training clips and rumbling began of a return it seemed Israel Adesanya had a change of heart. In fact, teammate and pal, Hooker, claims that the former UFC middleweight champion was preparing to comeback for UFC 300 to face bitter rival, Du Plessis.

Israel Adesanya was set to fight at UFC 300, according to Dan Hooker

“It’s a good fight they scratched together,” Hooker told Sky Sports New Zealand. “I want to know, I want Dana to come out and say that what had all gone on behind the scenes. Because as far as I knew, Israel was stepping up to fight in that 300 slot.

“He’s (Adesanya) continued to stay in the gym and stay healthy and stay training very hard, so I would anticipate him getting another fight booked pretty soon.”

The UFC were desperate to put together a solid UFC 300 main event and the promotion appeared to like the idea of Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya. However, the champion said he would be unable to make the date after a hard-fought five-rounds with Du Plessis in January. Hooker believes that Du Plessis was unwilling to risk his position but couldn’t really blame him for doing so.

“I feel like Dricus, that was going to be a big ask after the five rounds he had with Strickland, he took a lot of damage in that Strickland fight,” Hooker said. “And yeah, he turned the title fight down before. He was supposed to fight Israel in Sydney when [Izzy] fought Strickland. But he had, like, a niggle, he had an injury, and he wasn’t prepared to take that risk.”

“I was not surprised at all that he wasn’t prepared to rush back and take that risk for UFC 300. Can I criticize him for it? I can’t really, cuz it worked out in his favour the last time. He’s now the one walking around with the title. So can I criticize? ‘You should want to fight at UFC 300 with half a training camp!’ I can’t, I can’t criticize him.”

Who wins, Israel Adesanya or Dricus Du Plessis?

UFC champion Alex Pereira open to training with former foe Israel Adesanya: ‘I don’t feel like we’ll fight again’

Despite their long and storied rivalry, Alex Pereira would be happy to train with Israel Adesanya. The feud between…

Despite their long and storied rivalry, Alex Pereira would be happy to train with Israel Adesanya.

The feud between ‘Poatan’ and ‘The Last Stylebender’ stretches far beyond their time inside the Octagon. First meeting under the GLORY Kickboxing banner, Pereira scored back-to-back wins over the two-time middleweight champion, including a brutal third-round KO at Glory of Heroes 15 in March 2017.

Adesanya promptly moved on to MMA, earning a couple of first-round finishes on the Australian regional scene before making his UFC debut in 2018. Pereria would follow in his former foes’ footsteps, making his first Octagon appearance three years later.

Under the UFC banner, Pereira and Adesanya engaged in a memorable rivalry, splitting highlight-reel knockouts in their two meetings, though it was the ‘Stylebender’ who had the last laugh.

With Pereira sitting atop the light heavyweight throne and Adesanya eyeing a long-awaited clash with reigning middleweight king Dricus Du Plessis, their historic series appears to be over. Speaking with Ariel Helwani on Wednesday’s episode of The MMA Hour, ‘Poatan’ looked back on his time competing with Adesanya and even opened the door to the two fighters potentially work with one another in the gym.

“Anything can happen, but at this point, I think that it’s over even to a point that we could both train together if it comes down to that,” Pereira said through a translator. “If that ever happens, Israel is a very experienced guy. I am a very experienced guy. We have similar styles of high-level striking, but we have different aspects of the game that one could add to the other. But if it comes down to us fighting, it will be good, but it’s not something I’m holding onto anymore.”

He added, “I don’t feel like we’ll fight again. If I somehow felt that we were going to fight again, then no. But if I could be absolutely sure that we would never face each other in the Octagon again, why not?”

Alex Pereira already trains with another former opponent

It wouldn’t be the first time Alex Pereira has teamed up with a former opponent. After scoring a first-round knockout against Sean Strickland at UFC 276, ‘Poatan’ welcomed the opportunity to train with ‘Tarzan’ ahead of Strickland’s own title opportunity against Adesanya.

“Sean Strickland for example is a good friend now,” Pereira noted. “Once it’s over in the ring, you’ve got to let it go because you can add [something] to your game.

Immediately following Saturday’s UFC 298 pay-per-view in Anaheim, Dana White revealed that Alex Pereira will headline UFC 300, putting his 205-pound crown on the line against former titleholder Jamahal Hill. It will be Pereira’s first defense of the belt following his UFC 295 victory over Jiri Prochazka in November.

Demetrious Johnson warns Israel Adesanya away from Dricus du Plessis clash: ‘I don’t like that fight for him’

Former undisputed flyweight champion, Demetrious Johnson has warned fellow ex-UFC champion, Israel Adesanya from a much-speculated title fight return…

Former undisputed flyweight champion, Demetrious Johnson has warned fellow ex-UFC champion, Israel Adesanya from a much-speculated title fight return against newly-minted gold holder, Dricus du Plessis later this year – questioning the stylistic matchup for the City Kickboxing staple.

Adesanya, a former two-time undisputed middleweight titleholder, has been sidelined since last September, most recently suffered a championship fight loss to Sean Strickland in a massive upset defeat at UFC 293 in Sydney.

And linked with a stunning comeback overnight, the official Kingdom Arena website listed ticket sales for a June 23. event in Saudi Arabia, appearing to leak a middleweight main event between Adesanya and unbeaten contender, Khamzat Chimaev.

However, amid fervor on social media, UFC boss, Dana White denied that the Nigerian-Kiwi striker was fighting Chimaev on that date in the Middle East, claiming the leak was a “fake post” on the arena’s website.

Israel Adesanya warned of return by Demetrious Johnson

Also tied to a championship grudge match with Pretoria native, du Plessis later this year, Adesanya should avoid a fight with the newly-minted gold holder according to the aforenoted, Johnson – unless he has made significant improvements to his clinch game and grappling arsenal.

“I don’t like that fight [with Dricus du Plessis] for Izzy (Israel Adesanya), because I feel Izzy hasn’t taken enough time,” Demetrious Johnson told MMA Fighting. My question to Izzy would be, ‘Izzy, have you talent he teim to add more tools to your toolset.’ Because, if I was looking at that fight right now, strategically, one of the things Izzy likes to do, he likes to back up. He likes to counter a punch. So, if he likes to counter a punch, DDP does a good job of not overextending.”

“He doesn’t back up,” Johnson explained. “He usually takes the center of the cage and he moves forward, and goes to the center and he goes either southpaw or orthodox.”

Do you want to see Israel Adesanya fight Dricus du Plessis next?

Dana White shuts down Israel Adesanya – Khamzat Chimaev fight amid apparent leak of UFC Saudi Arabia card

An apparent leak on the official Kingdom Arena website tonight, appears to have shown the booking of a middleweight…

An apparent leak on the official Kingdom Arena website tonight, appears to have shown the booking of a middleweight main event fight between former undisputed divisional champion, Israel Adesanya, and the unbeaten, Khamzat Chimaev for a slated event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on June 23. next, however, promotional boss, Dana White has firmly shut down suggestions of a bout.

Adesanya, a former two-time undisputed middleweight champion, has been sidelined since last September, most recently suffering a stunning title loss to former titleholder, Sean Strickland in Australia.

As for Chimaev, the unbeaten Chechen turned in his thirteenth straight win back in October in Abu Dhabi, UAE – landing a close, majority decision win over former undisputed welterweight champion, Kamaru Usman in the co-main event of UFC 294.

And tonight, speculation has been rife on social media regarding an impending comeback for Adesanya, after an apparent leak on the official Kingdom Arena – which appeared to sell tickets to punters for a fight against the above-mentioned, Chimaev – at a set UFC Saudi Arabia event on June 23.

Israel Adesanya – Khamzat Chimaev fight denied by Dana White

However, soon thereafter amid chatter online, the above-mentioned organizational CEO, White denied that a bout between Israel Adesanya and Khamzat Chimaev was set for June 23. in the Middle East – describing the leak as an apparent “fake post”.

“Not happening,” Dana White posted on his official Instagram Stories accompanied by a fan-made poster featuring Adesanya and Chimaev. “It was a fake post. All the MMA Media thar an with it are the problem. Absolute CLOWNS.”

Over the course of the weekend, however, Israel Adesanya’s head coach, Eugene Bareman alluded to an impending booking for his student, claiming the City Kickboxing staple had “answered the call” for a bout.

“I can say that, we’re ready to fight,” Eugene Bareman said. “Israel (Adesanya) is ready to fight. He’s in camp – has been in camp. And we answered a call that said, ‘Can you be ready for this?’ And we assessed it because Israel is coming off an injury.”

“We assessed everything and put everything together, and decided as a team, yeah, let’s get into camp, and let’s start to get fit. Let’s come back a little earlier, at some risk – at some proper risk.” Bareman explained. “And there’s a strong possibility that this fight could happen on this date. And let’s act as if we’re fighting on this date.”

Would you like to see Israel Adesanya fight Khamzat Chimaev next?

Israel Adesanya’s Coach: ‘Strong Possibility’ of Dricus Du Plessis Fight at UFC 300

Israel Adesanya’s head coach suggested Friday that a fight between Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis could be in the cards for UFC 300. During an appearance on…

Israel Adesanya set to return amid links to UFC 300 title fight headliner: ‘We answered a call’

Former two-time undisputed middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya is reportedly set to make his return to the Octagon in the…

Former two-time undisputed middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya is reportedly set to make his return to the Octagon in the near future, according to his head coach, Eugene Bareman, with the City Kickboxing staple “answering a call” from the promotion, amid continues links to a UFC 300 headliner against newly-minted champion, Dricus du Plessis.

Adesanya, the current number one ranked middleweight contender, has been sidelined since he headlined UFC 293 back in September, losing his crown for the second time in a calendar year with a upset decision loss to rival, Sean Strickland.

And announcing plans to take a long-time hiatus away from the Octagon, Nigerian-Kiwi striker, Israel Adesanya has since confirmed he is ready to fight again, as he recovers from an undisclosed injury suffered in recent months.

Israel Adesanya set to return soon

However, amid links to a comeback fight atop a massive UFC 300 card in April, Adesanya’s head coach has alluded to a potential return in the very near future, revealing the ex-champion has “answered” the call to fight on a particular date for the organization.

“I can say that, we’re ready to fight,” Eugene Bareman said during an interview with The Mac Life. “Israel (Adesanya) is ready to fight. He’s in camp – has been in camp. And we answered a call that said, ‘Can you be ready for this?’ And we assessed it because Israel is coming off an injury.”

For du Plessis, the Pretoria native minted himself as the undisputed middleweight champion back in January, beating the aforenoted common-foe, Strickland in a close, split decision win over the defending gold holder.

Do you expect Israel Adesanya to return at UFC 300?