UFC 293, headlined by a highly anticipated bout between Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland, marked a significant event in the world of mixed martial arts. The event took place on September 9, 2023, and drew attention from fight fans worldwide. Israel Adesanya, the reigning UFC middleweight champion, had a fierce face-off with the formidable challenger Sean Strickland.
Adesanya, known for his striking prowess and charisma, faced Strickland, a fighter with a reputation for his relentless aggression and tenacity. This title fight however, ended up in an upset. To almost everyone’s surprise, Sean’s impeccable defense got the best of Israel, resulting in the former’s victory by unanimous decision.
Izzy Issues Stern Warning to Strickland
After his impressive victory at UFC 293, Sean Strickland showcased his sportsmanship as he said: “You’re a fuc**ng legend”. Izzy however remembered “Tarzan” passing some comments about his dog and brought that up as he said: “But please, don’t ever joke about my family bro”. Sean was quick to dismiss the sentiment as he said: “I got respect”.
What could have matured into a vocal standoff between the fighters, was dismissed by Strickland when he clearly said “Bro I’m sorry” and bowed down to the ex-champ. “The Stylebender” made it clear that he did not appreciate Sean’s statements of his dog whom he considered family as he said: “That’s no bulls**t, so please”.
Israel Adesanya Trolled Alex Pereira’s Son After KO Victory
Izzy clearly said: “I would never bring your family into this” to Strickland as a way of saying that he does not appreciate bringing family into the trash-talks between fighters. However, that could be considered as an ironic statement if we look back at UFC 287 where Adesanya fought and beat Alex Pereira.
Alex Pereira is a former kickboxer who has a long history of rivalry with Adesanya. “Poatan” previously beat Israel in UFC 281 in the Madison Square Garden of New York. In the 1st KO loss of Izzy against Pereira, Poatan’s son was mocking the way Adesanya fell on the canvas, from outside the ring.
Following a stunning KO victory by Israel at UFC 287, Adesanya, who has a long-standing rivalry with Pereira, couldn’t resist taunting his rival’s son in the same manner. Adesanya pointed at Alex’s son and fell on the canvas mockingly, recreating the same way he was mocked at the fight in Brazil. This move was criticised by a lot of fans but Izzy said he wanted to do that “just to remind him”.
What do you think of Israel Adesanya’s remarks? Do you think he has the right to say that to Sean Strickland after what he did himself at UFC 287? Make sure to let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
