Israel Adesanya Embracing Heel Role Ahead Of UFC 243

UFC 243 is officially set for Marvel Stadium in Australia. It will no doubt be a massive event there. Given the fact that Australian Robert Whittaker will take on New Zealand’s, Israel Adesanya. Although both fighters will have fans travel to the event, Adesanya admits he doesn’t care if he gets booed and points to […]

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UFC 243 is officially set for Marvel Stadium in Australia. It will no doubt be a massive event there. Given the fact that Australian Robert Whittaker will take on New Zealand’s, Israel Adesanya.

Although both fighters will have fans travel to the event, Adesanya admits he doesn’t care if he gets booed and points to UFC 234 as evidence.

“Put it this way, even if you look at 234 when I beat Silva, I’m just talking on the mic, the crowd starts booing. I told them to shut the f**k up and shove it where the sun don’t shine,” Adesanya said in an appearance on The Luke Thomas Show (h/t MMA News). “I’m not trying to be liked. I’m not looking for fans.”

Israel Adesanya is also no longer looking for approval on his fight career. He knows people say he is still hype and they are waiting for him to get exposed. So, “The Last Stylebender” knows Robert Whittaker is the good guy and he is the heel in this fight.

“And (Whittaker) said something as well. Another thing he said in the past was, ‘I care that people like him more than me.’ I could give two sh**s. I don’t give a f**k. I said it before, these people don’t give a f**k about you when it comes to group mentality,” Adesanya said. “One on one that’s different when people meet me and they get to experience a little bit of me that I allow. But when they see me walking out to the cage, I never stick my hand out and try to shake fans or whatever. I’m just there to do my job. I could give two s***s if they like me or not.

“And yeah, I know, I know people want me to lose this fight. I’m still all hype, right? I got this far six fights in…this fast, but still all hype.

“So yeah, I’m the heel in this one. He’s the good guy.”

What do you make of Israel Adesanya’s comments?

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Israel Adesanya Embraces Heel Role Ahead of UFC 243

Earlier today the venue for Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker was announced, and Australia will be buzzing when two of Oceania’s own take center stage. But both Adesanya and Whittaker seem to be in agreement on who the fan favorite will be when the …

Earlier today the venue for Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker was announced, and Australia will be buzzing when two of Oceania’s own take center stage. But both Adesanya and Whittaker seem to be in agreement on who the fan favorite will be when the two lock horns at the Marvel Stadium come October 6 and […]

The post Israel Adesanya Embraces Heel Role Ahead of UFC 243 appeared first on MMA News.

UFC 243 Confirmed To Take Place Inside Marvel Stadium In Melbourne

It’s finally official, UFC 243 will be held in Melbourne. UFC officials announced that the event is set to take place inside Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. It’s a 60,000-seat venue. UFC 243 goes down on Oct. 5 and will be headlined…

It’s finally official, UFC 243 will be held in Melbourne. UFC officials announced that the event is set to take place inside Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia. It’s a 60,000-seat venue. UFC 243 goes down on Oct. 5 and will be headlined by a middleweight title unification clash between champion Robert Whittaker and interim title […]

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Robert Whittaker Confirms UFC 243 Will Happen In Australia

After months of speculation, UFC 243 will not be happening stateside, and instead be happening in Australia, as many fans were hoping for. Of course, UFC 243, puts middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker up against interim middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya for the unified title. It will be a battle of the Oceanic region as Whittaker is […]

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After months of speculation, UFC 243 will not be happening stateside, and instead be happening in Australia, as many fans were hoping for. Of course, UFC 243, puts middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker up against interim middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya for the unified title.

It will be a battle of the Oceanic region as Whittaker is a proud Aussie, while Adesanya reps New Zealand.

“I have unfinished business here. See you in October, Melbourne, Australia,” Whittaker wrote on Twitter while tagging Marvel Stadium.

Whittaker first teased the announcement, while The Daily Telegraph then confirmed that it will be happening at Marvel Stadium.

Marvel Stadium holds 60,000 people, but it wasn’t an obvious decision to hold the event there. The Rugby league final is the same day as the event, so concern fan attendance would be low made the UFC think about putting in Las Vegas. But, luckily for the Oceanic region, it will indeed be happening in Australia.

“This show, it’s well overdue,” Whittaker told The Daily Telegraph. “And to have the opportunity to potentially fight in front of 60,000 people, I’m absolutely pumped.

“This fight, it’s going to be a milestone moment, not only for the Australian fight game but combat sports, period.

“MMA doesn’t often get these sorts of crowds. So to be one of the few fighters ever who gets to perform in front of an audience so large, it’s awesome.”

Do you think the UFC made the right call by having the event in Australia?

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Robert Whittaker Explains Why He Doesn’t Play The Trash-Talk Game

Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya are set to unify their middleweight titles. The pair will headline the upcoming UFC 243 pay-per-view (PPV) event on October 5. No venue or location has been made official for the fight as of this writing. However, Australia is expected to play host to the championship matchup. As the buildup […]

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Robert Whittaker and Israel Adesanya are set to unify their middleweight titles. The pair will headline the upcoming UFC 243 pay-per-view (PPV) event on October 5.

No venue or location has been made official for the fight as of this writing. However, Australia is expected to play host to the championship matchup. As the buildup progresses, “Stylebender” has been making things personal between himself and “Bobby Knuckles.” The Nigerian champ, who is never shy to mix up the trash-talk with anyone in the UFC, has been taking shots at Whittaker as of late.

But Whittaker has taken everything in stride throughout the process, opting to laugh things off rather than engage in Adesanya’s game. Speaking to Submission Radio, Whittaker explained why people shouldn’t mistake his reluctance to engage in trash-talking as a weakness:

Let me clear something up quickly, just because I don’t talk trash and I’m not mouthy and I’m not mouthing off like I’m in the school yard, doesn’t mean I don’t take this for what it is. I am doing everything in my power to break you, because we are going to go fight in an octagon. And I don’t play this. This isn’t a game to me.

“I treat this as if this would be my last fight ever, and I always have. And I don’t need to smack talk to get in that mind frame, I’m already there. Like, we’re gonna go fight to the death in so many months time and I’m gonna give everything I have, I just don’t smack talk though. But don’t misinterpret that for me not taking the fight seriously.

“You can see every one of my opponents when we have the first face off or when we come face to face after the fight’s been announced, they know, they know that, okay, this guy isn’t playing. I’m not playing. It’s not a game.”

Adesanya has also made an enemy in light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. “Bones” went as far as volunteering to help Whittaker train for his upcoming matchup with Adesanya. While Whittaker believes the offer might have simply been a publicity stunt, he’s open to taking Jones up on the offer all the same:

“It might have been publicity, but the thing is, he doesn’t really need publicity from that. It’s more like, I have guys that can move like Adesanya now if I need it. And the other thing is, Jon lives all the way in the States, and I’m here in Sydney.

“So yeah, if our paths cross somehow, I’d like to take him up on some training. I think that would be great. I think he’d be a great body to move with. But we’ll have to wait and see.”

Do you think Whittaker is going to unleash a beast at UFC 243? Who are you picking in “Bobby Knuckles” against Adesanya?

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Robert Whittaker on Israel Adesanya: ‘We’re Not Cool’

Robert Whittaker realizes that he isn’t chummy with Israel Adesanya. Whittaker and Adesanya are set to collide in a middleweight title unification bout on Oct. 5. The bout will headline UFC 243. Whittaker holds middleweight gold, while Adesanya i…

Robert Whittaker realizes that he isn’t chummy with Israel Adesanya. Whittaker and Adesanya are set to collide in a middleweight title unification bout on Oct. 5. The bout will headline UFC 243. Whittaker holds middleweight gold, while Adesanya is the interim title holder. A location for UFC 243 has not been announced. Whittaker Says He […]

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