Tag: Israel Adesanya

Israel Adesanya barrels down P4P rankings following submission loss at UFC 305

Israel Adesanya barrels down P4P rankings following submission loss at UFC 305Following his submission defeat to middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis over the course of the weekend at UFC 305,…

Israel Adesanya barrels down P4P rankings following submission loss at UFC 305

Following his submission defeat to middleweight champion, Dricus du Plessis over the course of the weekend at UFC 305, former two-time titleholder, Israel Adesanya may remain the number two ranked challenger, however, has slumped down the pound-for-pound pile.

Adesanya, a former two-time middleweight gold holder, headlined UFC 305 over the course of last weekend, suffered his second consecutive defeat since September of last year – following a prior dominant title fight loss to Sean Strickland in Sydney last annum.

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And meeting South African star, du Plessis ‘Downunder’ last weekend in the main event of UFC 305, Adesanya, who found himself on the wrong side of judge’s scorecards during the fourth round, was submitted in the first of two championship frames, with a taut rear-naked choke.

Following the defeat, however, Adesanya remains just behind the previously mentioned, Strickland in the middleweight listings, as the number two ranked challenger.

However, seated as the number thirteenth ranked male fighter in the pound-for-pound pile ahead of his UFC 305 title fight comeback, City Kickboxing is barely in the rankings off the back of his loss, landing at number fifteen behind former champions, Charles Oliveira, and Strickland, respectively. 

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Israel Adesanya falls down pound-for-pound rankings after UFC 305

Off the back of his loss to the Pretoria native, Adesanya boldly claimed that he believed du Plessis was likely there for the taking in the fourth round before he succumbed to a rear-naked choke defeat. 

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“He’s (Dricus du Plessis) tough, he’s stubborn that is what it is,” Israel Adesanya said. “Even if he’s tired – which one was it – I sprawled on him, was it round four? Beginning of round four, I hit him with one of the meanest sprawls because he just shot and I just put his face into the mat, and boom.”

“I tried to kick his body and then told him to get up,” Israel Adesanya continued. “Marc (Goddard) was like ‘Get up’, and he laid there on the ground and took a breath, and I was like, ‘He is done.’ So I try to go for him.”

Brendan Schaub Responds to Slam from Dricus Du Plessis

Brendan Schaub Responds to Slam from Dricus Du PlessisEx-UFC heavyweight fighter Brendan Schaub offered a response to Dricus Du Plessis. ‘Stillknocks’ was successful in his first defense…

Brendan Schaub Responds to Slam from Dricus Du Plessis

Ex-UFC heavyweight fighter Brendan Schaub offered a response to Dricus Du Plessis.

‘Stillknocks’ was successful in his first defense of the middleweight title at UFC 305, scoring a fourth-round submission victory over two-time titleholder Israel Adesanya. It was a rather shocking turn of events considering insiders far and wide heavily favored Adesanya to take back the middleweight strap and kickstart a historic third title reign.

Brendan Schaub responds to Dricus Du Plessis

That includes fighter-turned-comedian Brendan Schaub who boldly predicted that Adesanya was going to “beat the sh*t” out of Du Plessis.

Not long after the belt was wrapped around his waist, Du Plessis hopped on social media to throw some shade at Schaub’s prediction and take a dig at the former fighter’s legacy, or lack thereof.

“@BrendanSchaub great prediction.. You has been JK haha you’ve never been,” Du Plessis wrote.”

Not long after ‘DDP’ slammed him, Schaub delivered a much classier response compared to that of the South African sensation.

“Fair play,” Schaub replied. “I’d be mad too. DDP is a monster.”

The Contenders are already lining up for dricus du Plessis

With the win over Adesanya, Dricus Du Plessis remains undefeated inside the Octagon, going 8-0 with a 75% finish rate. Next, ‘DDP’ is expected to rematch the man he took the title from in January, Sean Strickland.

Strickland

Tarzan’ established himself as the next man in line with a decisive victory over Paulo Costa in June. Meanwhile, Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev will meet at UFC 308 in Abu Dhabi to secure their own spot in line and ensure that ‘Stillknocks’ stays plenty busy at 185.

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Teddy Atlas Breaks Down UFC 305 Main Event: ‘What He Has Is The Same Thing That Usyk Has!”

Teddy Atlas recently offered his analysis of the UFC middleweight title showdown between reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya, which headlined UFC 305. Du Plessis defended his title last weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia, securing a dramatic fourth-round victory over Adesanya with a rear-naked choke. The fight was a […]

Continue Reading Teddy Atlas Breaks Down UFC 305 Main Event: ‘What He Has Is The Same Thing That Usyk Has!” at MMA News.

Teddy Atlas recently offered his analysis of the UFC middleweight title showdown between reigning champion Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya, which headlined UFC 305.

Du Plessis defended his title last weekend at the RAC Arena in Perth, Western Australia, securing a dramatic fourth-round victory over Adesanya with a rear-naked choke.

The fight was a fiercely competitive affair, with both fighters pushing the pace from the moment the bell rang. The first round featured a measured exchange of strikes from both parties, but it was in the second round that ‘Stillknocks’ began to assert his dominance through grappling, securing multiple takedowns despite Adesanya’s stubborn defense.

As the third round began, the challenger seemed on the ropes, but he quickly found his groove, unleashing a barrage of powerful head and body shots that momentarily swung the momentum in his favor.

“The Last Stylebender” came out strong in the fourth, seemingly on the verge of securing a knockout, but the South African was quick to counter. With a sudden surge, he unleashed a relentless series of strikes that paved the way for a flawlessly timed takedown. In a flash, he secured Adesanya’s back, locking in the decisive submission.

Atlas Say Du Plessis Exemplifies ‘Never Judge A Book By Its Cover’

During a recent episode of THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas, the legendary boxing trainer broke down the Du Plessis vs. Adesanya clash. Atlas showered the middleweight champion with praise, noting how Du Plessis has perfected the art of executing the basics in his own unconventional way. He emphasized that Du Plessis consistently outperforms his opponents’ expectations, proving to be far more formidable than they anticipate.

“Even though Du Plessis had shown what looked like fatigue earlier, he always keeps going,” Atlas said. “It always seems like he’s out of gas, and then he’s not out of gas. He learned from the earlier attempts to get that choke hold, which Adesanya survived and escaped at least two times, I believe, earlier. But Du Plessis got the third shot at it, and this time, I think a combination of Adesanya being a little worn out and Du Plessis making sure to capitalize on the opportunity made the difference. But at the end of the day, the first thing I have to say about Du Plessis is that he’s one of those enigmas, one of those guys, one of those rarities where the simple and only accurate way to put it is that he’s better than he looks.”

Atlas further added that “Stillknocks” possesses a relentless drive to win that reminds him of the hunger seen in former undisputed heavyweight boxing champion Oleksandr Usyk.

“There’s nothing dynamic-looking about what he does until he does it—until he gets the end result. Up until then, it’s very deceiving and misleading. He is the perfect example of that old saying, ‘Never judge a book by its cover,’ and he’s physically strong. He’s better in technical areas and subtle areas than meets the eye—he really is. And there’s one other quality that I think describes him: it’s a simple quality, but it’s not something you see every day. No matter how much talent someone has, what he has is the same thing that Usyk has in boxing—an ability to win, a drive, determination. A lot of people have that, but he’s got that plus an uncanny way to know how to win.”

Continue Reading Teddy Atlas Breaks Down UFC 305 Main Event: ‘What He Has Is The Same Thing That Usyk Has!” at MMA News.

Anthony Smith Shares Theory On Alex Pereira Pondering Middleweight Return To Fight Dricus Du Plessis: ‘You Beat My Friend!’

UFC light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith believes Alex Pereira’s middleweight tease could derive from a desire to “stick up” for Israel Adesanya. Adesanya recently returned to action in the main event of UFC 305, a pay-per-view event staged at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. The former two-time champ headlined alongside Dricus Du Plessis, competing […]

Continue Reading Anthony Smith Shares Theory On Alex Pereira Pondering Middleweight Return To Fight Dricus Du Plessis: ‘You Beat My Friend!’ at MMA News.

UFC light heavyweight contender Anthony Smith believes Alex Pereira’s middleweight tease could derive from a desire to “stick up” for Israel Adesanya.

Adesanya recently returned to action in the main event of UFC 305, a pay-per-view event staged at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia. The former two-time champ headlined alongside Dricus Du Plessis, competing for the South African’s gold.

“The Last Stylebender” was unsuccessful in his bid for another reign, falling via rear-naked choke submission in the third round. By all accounts, a rematch with Sean Strickland looks the likeliest next task for the reigning titleholder.

But one man caused a stir with his Instagram post in the aftermath, as Pereira teased a possible return to the division he once ruled over to do battle with “Stillknocks.”

Given that “Poatan” has previously dismissed talk of another drop to that weight and instead pondered a heavyweight venture, many were surprised by the post. One man who has long gone back and forth with the Brazilian, however, thinks he might know the reason behind it…

Smith: Pereira’s ‘Brotherhood’ With Adesanya Motivating Possible Pursuit Of Du Plessis

During ESPN’s UFC 305 Post Show this past weekend, the panel of Smith, Din Thomas, and Brett Okamoto reflected on the main event in Perth and looked ahead to what could be next for the champ and unsuccessful challenger.

In terms of the victorious South African, they made note of Pereira’s social media tease. And although plenty have dismissed it as a playful post, “Lionheart” believes the reigning light heavyweight king could be serious.

In terms of the reasons why Pereira could go back on his word not to return to 185 pounds, Smith thinks the Brazilian could want to make Du Plessis pay for beating his longtime rival.

“Part of me kind of believes he’s a little bit serious. I don’t think he’s any bigger now than when he was at light heavyweight last time,” Smith said. “I feel like there’s a sense of Alex wanting to kind of stick up for Israel. They have this weird connection, this weird brotherhood, this unusual friendship. They’re moulded together for the rest of their careers.

“I feel like that’s him (Pereira), ‘Alright, you beat my friend, or someone that I have history with. So now I’m coming down and I’ll take care of it.’ That’s kind of how it felt,” Smith continued. “Almost like, ‘We have this thing going on, but none of you can mess with us.’ That’s kind of how it was.”

It remains to be seen whether the matchup will enter the realm of possibility anytime soon. Both Du Plessis and his coach have green lit a showdown with Pereira, but only if it provides the South African with the opportunity to achieve two-division glory himself.

Continue Reading Anthony Smith Shares Theory On Alex Pereira Pondering Middleweight Return To Fight Dricus Du Plessis: ‘You Beat My Friend!’ at MMA News.

Israel Adesanya was aiming to finish Dricus Du Plessis in round 4: ‘I was like he is done’

Former two-time middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya claims Dricus du Plessis was there for the taking in the penultimate round…

Former two-time middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya claims Dricus du Plessis was there for the taking in the penultimate round of their UFC 305 title fight – before succumbing to his own submission loss against the South African star.

Adesanya, a former two-time undisputed middleweight champion, suffered a second consecutive defeat for the first time in his storied mixed martial arts career over the course of last weekend at UFC 305 in a return ‘Downunder’.

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Dropping a fourth round submission loss to Pretoria native, du Plessis in his bid to become a three-time middleweight titleholder, Adesanya saw his back taken in the first of two championship rounds against the fence after finding himself on the receiving end of a lengthy barrage – before he was forced to tap after being wrapped in a rear-naked choke.

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Israel Adesanya claims Dricus du Plessis was “done” at UFC 305

However, despite finding himself down on the judge’s scorecards even midway through the fourth frame, City Kickboxing staple, Adesanya has now claimed du Plessis was “done” in the round – and ready for the taking.

Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya UFC 305 KISS

“He’s (Dricus du Plessis) tough, he’s stubborn that is what it is,” Israel Adesanya said on his YouTube channel. “Even if he’s tired – which one was it – I sprawled on him, was it round four? Beginning of round four, I hit him with one of the meanest sprawls because he just shot and I just put his face into the mat, and boom.”

“I tried to kick his body and then told him to get up,” Israel Adesanya continued. “Marc (Goddard) was like ‘Get up’, and he laid there on the ground and took a breath, and I was like, ‘He is done.’ So I try to go for him.”

Francis Ngannou’s Coach On UFC Deleting His Legacy: ‘It Takes Somebody Of Izzy’s Stature…’

Francis Ngannou is set to really begin the next chapter of his MMA career when he makes his long-awaited PFL debut against Renan Ferreira on October 19. Despite parting ways with the UFC in January of 2023, the former UFC heavyweight champion has been competing in boxing before taking some time off after tragically losing […]

Continue Reading Francis Ngannou’s Coach On UFC Deleting His Legacy: ‘It Takes Somebody Of Izzy’s Stature…’ at MMA News.

Francis Ngannou is set to really begin the next chapter of his MMA career when he makes his long-awaited PFL debut against Renan Ferreira on October 19.

Despite parting ways with the UFC in January of 2023, the former UFC heavyweight champion has been competing in boxing before taking some time off after tragically losing his son earlier this year.

In the meantime, his former home has done a few things that rubbed both Ngannou and his supporters the wrong way by not acknowledging what he achieved in the promotion.

One particular stat shown in August of last year listed Tafon Nchukwi as the first Cameroonian fighter to ever compete in the UFC, which was quickly corrected by Ngannou on social media.

Not only had they erased Ngannou on this occasion, they had also jumped past Thierry Sokoudjou who “The Predator” gave props to.

Eric Nicksick Says He Doesn’t Understand UFC’s Stance On Francis Ngannou

This lack of acknowledgment for Ngannou was brought up once again by Israel Adesanya during his media day interviews ahead of UFC 305.

Ngannou’s coach Eric Nicksick spoke about the impact that actions like this from “The Last Stylebender” have during a recent interview with Submission Radio.

He gave his opinion on Ngannou not being celebrated for his time in the UFC, stating that he can’t understand this way of handling the situation even if it did end on less than stellar terms.

“It just doesn’t make any sense. I think it’s like if you had this break-up but you still learn something or you still gained something from that relationship and I think it takes somebody of Izzy’s stature and nobility of like he cares so much about Francis that he has a platform and he speaks up about it. Good on Izzy for seeing these injustices and speaking up on it. It’s just silly. It just actually, I think it brings more light and more negative connotation to the situation.

“Had they just been like, ‘Oh hey man, you know, he was a great champion for us while he was here.’ You don’t have to promote the guy but when you’re doing a stat that said the first Cameroonian fighter in UFC history, like wait a minute, you had a couple guys that were in there. It is what it is man, it’s their promotion, it’s their business what they decide to do. I just would never really understand the purpose or reason why behind it.”

Read also: Francis Ngannou’s Touching Gesture To Coach Who ‘Doesn’t Have A Family’: ‘It Was Enough To Move This Man To Tears…’

Continue Reading Francis Ngannou’s Coach On UFC Deleting His Legacy: ‘It Takes Somebody Of Izzy’s Stature…’ at MMA News.