Adesanya wants to do his talking in the Octagon. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
After all the trash talk, most of it one-sided, Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland will settle their differences inside the Octagon today at UFC 293.
In the lead-up to the highly anticipated showdown set to electrify Sydney, the tension between the reigning middleweight champion and his challenger has reached a fever pitch.
As they finally prepare to square off, it's evident that this fight is not just about the championship belt, it's about settling a score that's been brewing for over a year.
"He may have bitten off more than he can chew, he definitely did when he f***** with me," Adesnaya said this week.
The two crossed paths a handful of times as Strickland climbed the middleweight rankings since 2020, most prominently during the UFC 276 press conference in July 2022.
Strickland attacked Adesanya's fashion sense and love of anime and a verbal war ensued.
"I'm gonna knock you out and do a TikTok dance over your grave," Adesanya said.
"Calm down you'll break a nail," Strickland responded.
Adesanya, expected this fight to come against South African number one contender Dricus Du Plessis, though he was unable to recover from his bout with Whittaker in time.
Strickland has not held back in his criticism of the champion.
"He has no class, he has no character."
The bout is Adesanya's first in Australia since he unified the middleweight title by defeating Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 in Melbourne.
That card broke UFC's attendance record, and while Sydney won't have the same capacity, Adesanya wants to deliver a barnburner all the same.
Adesanya is back in Australia for the first time since becoming champion. Photo:
"I feel stronger, I'm more explosive, I'm hitting harder. Expect to see me at my best, expect to see a master class, a showcase of true fighting."
Strickland told reporters he is ready for war.
"When I walk in that cage, I want to go and win that belt for you guys and I want to bring some pride back to the middleweight division. I've got what it takes. I'm up for it."
Adesanya's energy toward Strickland has been mostly stern during fight week.
"He's got a mouth on him. You'll never meet a hater doing better than you, and he's a big hater."
Strickland has targeted Adesanya for everything from his social media posts to his painted nails.
"He's a cringe lord. Everything that guy does just makes you wince. When someone sucks to that degree, it's pretty easy to make fun of them. Even talking about him makes me want to go take a shower."
The American insists he is going to make it tough for Adesanya.
"You fight a guy like that, little twinkle-toes, running around, dancing around, you're going to have to go nose to nose and make it a war."
Adesanya is of course the headliner on a card featuring six City Kickboxing Fighters.
"Over the last six years, New Zealand MMA has been on the rise and its because of us guys. It shows how awesome our gym is, from grassroots to living legends, it's our time."
He says he will silence Strickland.
"I'm gonna make this look easy - really easy."
- RNZ
