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Israel Adesanya on road to gold: From sitting in nose bleeds to making noses bleed

It’s been a long road for interim UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya used the UFC 243 press conference to reflect on how far he’s come.

To an outside fan, it appears that Adesanya (17-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) has just started his journey, as he only joined the UFC roster in early 2018.

But what he’s done in that short period of time is nothing short of remarkable, as he recalled, less than four years ago, sitting all the way in the back to watch UFC 193 at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne, Australia.

“Like I said, I was there back then when it happened, when the biggest show was in Australia,” Adesanya said at the press conference Wednesday at Deakin Edge in Melbourne. “We were way back there in the nosebleeds, I talked about this before I got in the UFC. Even he (Whittaker) fought on that card, I didn’t remember who he fought, I remember Mark Hunt knocked out Bigfoot part 2. I was back there in the nose bleeds but this time I’m going to be front and center, making nose bleeds.”

UFC 193 was headlined by Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm, a famous moment when Holm shocked the world by knocking out the previously unbeaten Rousey in the second round, to become the new bantamweight champion. It was the most-attended event in UFC history, a record of 56,214 fans.

UFC 243, which will take place in the brand new Marvel Stadium, is expected to break the previous attendance record set at UFC 193.

This time, it will be headlined by Australia’s own UFC middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker (20-4 MMA, 11-2 UFC), and New Zealand’s interim middleweight champion Adesanya.

“I remember, I was in the nosebleeds, and I remember the feeling of that arena,” Adesanya said. “They had to have people from outside headline the card and stack the card up and it was a great card but now, we’re stacking this up from people of our own side of the world. That shows you that it’s striving. They’re sleeping on us down under and I think we can sell this out fast. We’ve got two guys from this side of the world. We’ve got the rivalry between Aussies and Kiwis, it started out with pavlova and it’s not going to end here. I guarantee you that.”

The “Stylebender” had a prolific kickboxing career, notching 75 wins, and has competed all over the world during his combat sports tenure. He has earned five performance bonuses in the six times he’s competed in the UFC, on route to a masterful performance over the tough and gritty Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236, capturing the interim middleweight title.

And he prides himself on staying active. Adesanya has competed four times since Whittaker last stepped into the cage, when he defeated Yoel Romero at UFC 225.

“I’m a guy who stays active,” Adesanya said. “Even before I got in the UFC, there was a time, for a long time I was fighting all over the world. At one point, I had over 20 fights in a year in China. The Chinese, they brought me on, they brought me in as a journeyman. So I was there to be whooped on by there people but then  they realized, oh can’t beat him, have him join us and I fought over 20 times. Fought smart, fought healthy and I did the same thing in the UFC.

“Six fights in 14 months and something that he alluded to was ah, these fights might be wearing on him. He’s not wrong, fight’s easy for me but training itself, through the grind everyday. Everyday going in, day in and day out, rest days, still going on days that you don’t want to go, that wears on the body and on the mind.”

“But like him, now I’ve had a holiday, I’ve been chilling. Right now I feel the best that I’ve ever felt as well so the best man will win.”

‘That’s not who I am’: Igor Severino apologizes for bite, hopes one mistake doesn’t define career

Igor Severino’s life isn’t the same as it was one week ago. As of now, the 20-year-old ex-UFC fighter doesn’t know if it’ll ever be even similar after he bit opponent Andre Lima during their March 23 fight at UFC on ESPN 53 in Las Vegas. The highly unusual...

Joaquin Buckley: ‘This Is The Reason I’m Here’

UFC Welterweight Joaquin Buckley Is Stoked To Be In A Marquee Position To Move Up The Rankings And Show He Belongs Fighting The Top 170-Pound Fighters On The Roster Read the Full Article Here

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