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.
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.
“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?
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 […]
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.
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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
“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?
Perennial lightweight contender, Dan Hooker is targeted to make his return next month on the main card of UFC…
Perennial lightweight contender, Dan Hooker is targeted to make his return next month on the main card of UFC 305 in Perth, Australia, with a pairing against Polish contender, Mateusz Gamrot in the works for the RAC Arena card.
Hooker, the current number eleven ranked lightweight contender, has been sidelined since UFC 290 back in July of last year, landing a split decision win over Jalin Turner to extend his winning spree to two straight fights for the first time since 2020.
Dan Hooker vs. Mateusz Gamrot targeted for UFC 305
For Gamrot, the former two-division KSW gold holder holds the number five rank at lightweight, most recently earned his third victory in a row, taking out former undisputed champion, Rafael dos Anjos win at UFC 299 in March of this year.
News of Dan Hooker’s targeted fight against Mateusz Gamrot was first reported by MMA Junkie this afternoon.
Dan Hooker's long search for a #UFC305 foe ends with Mateusz Gamrot in Perth.
Last month, the City Kickboxing staple sent fans into raptures after claiming he had agreed a deal to take on former champion, Charles Oliviera in a huge pairing on the same flagship card – before claiming he had then made the matchup up himself.
Suffering losses to just perennial contender Beneil Dariush and a controversial decision loss to Guram Kutateladze in his promotional bow, Gamrot added dos Anjos to a streak which included prior victories against both Rafael Fiziev, and common-foe, Turner. Gamrot also holds a main event win over expected incoming lightweight title challenger, Arman Tsarukyan.
UFC 305 takes place on August 18. from the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, with an undisputed middleweight championship fight between the incumbent, Dricus du Plessis, and challenger, Israel Adesanya set to headline the return ‘Downunder’.
Who do you think wins at UFC 305 next month: Dan Hooker or Mateusz Gamrot?
Dricus Du Plessis recently said that he sensed Israel Adesanya was ready to hang up his gloves after avenging his loss to Alex Pereira, feeling as though he had accomplished everything he set out to achieve in the sport. “Stillknocks” is set to defend his middleweight title for the first time against the former longtime […]
Dricus Du Plessis recently said that he sensed Israel Adesanya was ready to hang up his gloves after avenging his loss to Alex Pereira, feeling as though he had accomplished everything he set out to achieve in the sport.
“Stillknocks” is set to defend his middleweight title for the first time against the former longtime champion, Adesanya, in the main event of UFC 305. The eagerly awaited clash is scheduled for August 17 at the RAC Arena in Perth, Australia.
“The Last Stylebender” is set to make his return to the Octagon after an 11-month hiatus, the longest of his UFC career. Following his title loss to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 last September, Adesanya took a self-imposed break to focus on his mental health.
The Nigerian-born Kiwi is currently enduring the toughest period of his career since his failed bid for the light heavyweight title against then-champion Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259. Three fights later, Adesanya suffered his first middleweight loss, a fifth-round TKO at the hands of longtime rival Alex Pereira at UFC 281.
However, he made a triumphant comeback by reclaiming the middleweight title from “Poatan” in a rematch at UFC 287, and Du Plessis believes this victory marks the peak of Adesanya’s career.
In a recent interview with Hello Sport, the reigning UFC middleweight champion reflected on his faceoff with Adesanya at the UFC 305 on-sale press conference. The South African expressed respect for “The Last Stylebender’s” achievements but sensed that Adesanya is pushing himself too hard for the upcoming fight.
“When it comes to the title defenses, the winning streaks will never come because he doesn’t have the time, Du Plessis said. “I think his biggest achievement for him personally was beating Alex Pereira. He had this nemesis who had beaten him multiple times, and after that fight, he [Adesanya] was ready to call it quits.
“That’s what I saw in his eyes as well. [He was] trying to convince me but more so trying to convince himself that he still wants to do this and that he still has what it takes to be the best fighter in the world and as soon as you ask yourself that question – you’re in a dark place.”
Adesanya and Pereira’s rivalry stands as one of the most intense and storied in combat sports history, with “Poatan” seemingly having shattered his opponent both physically and mentally – only to suffer a brutal knockout in their latest scrap.
The Brazilian defeated Adesanya twice in kickboxing, and the two have each claimed a victory each in their UFC showdowns.
Dricus Du Plessis Says Being At Peace Heading Into UFC 305 ‘Dangerous’ For Israel Adesanya
Adesanya previously stated that the layoff allowed him to regroup and alleviate the pressure of constantly fighting and enduring the demands of fight camps.
“The time off is not necessarily the problem; it can be good, but it can be bad… When you get to the position where you are so comfortable, where he said he’s at peace, he’s happy with what he has, and it’s a dangerous place to be at because this sport is chaos and chaos is the exact opposite of peace.
“If you’re at peace and you’re getting in the Octagon with me, it’s going to be a problem because I bring chaos.”
Du Plessis and Adesanya have a tumultuous history, with their fates intertwined long before their dramatic altercation at UFC 290 last July. Their rivalry dates back to when “The Last Stylebender” reigned as middleweight champion, and Du Plessis called him out, vowing to become a true African champion and bring the belt back to the continent.
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 […]
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 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.
Undisputed light heavyweight champion, Alex Pereira has wished his four-fight opponent, Israel Adesanya luck in his title fight at…
Perennial lightweight contender, Dan Hooker is targeted to make his return next month on the main card of UFC…
