Israel Adesanya who is known for his deadly striking skills and sometimes, stormy trash-talking style also has a kind persona to his harsh exterior. The Nigerian-born MMA star has displayed the same many times in the past. He had previously held open training sessions for fans at Sydney Town Hall during the UFC 293 Open Workouts Additionally, ‘The Last Stylebender’ is also the ambassador for Walk Without Fear Trust which was founded by his head coach, Eugene Bareman at Auckland’s City Kickboxing gym.

But he never stops striving for more be it inside the octagon or when aiding others. Following the same tune, he has taken up a new grueling challenge in a different sport to be a beacon of hope. This time he is helping a professional record-breaking runner who cried once at Adesanya’s message.

Israel Adesanya reunites with Nedd Brockman to raise money through a marathon

Israel Adesanya recently posted a carousel of inspiring pictures with famous cross-country runner Nedd Brockman. The reason? It’s because Izzy is going to help the Aussie raise money for the homeless by running alongside him in a marathon. The former two-time middleweight champ spoke about the same on Instagram and wrote a wholesome note that could make a grown man cry.

He wrote, “Nedd Brockmann you LEGEND!!!  If you don’t know, Nedd previously ran across Australia…the whole country! To raise money for homelessness. Now he’s doing it again on the track challenging himself to raise money for the same cause. On the kilometers I did with Nedd, we just learned about life, pain, joy, love, family, good friends…etc. But for me, the main gem was feeling a small fraction of what Nedd’s done and realizing I have zero right to even complain due to what this man has put his body through to bring attention and funds to this problem. Shoutout to his family and team for supporting him minute to minute. Shout out to @jessfoxcanoe for pulling up and crushing laps with the lad. Shout out to @alexvolkanovski for being a GC as always. What a day, what a life!”

For the unversed, Nedd Brockmann had previously raised over $2 million to assist the homeless via the charity We Are Mobilise when he ran 2400+ miles from Perth to Sydney in 46 days back in 2022. The 25-year-old interestingly received a heartfelt message from Adesanya when he was preparing for this hard journey. Brockman had already covered 1000 miles from Perth to Bondi Beach for the exhaustive initiative and got a boost of energy after receiving a video message from the UFC middleweight trailblazer. 

In the message, Adesanya had expressed deep admiration for Brockmann’s incredible achievements, crediting him with inspiring countless individuals. Their bond was strengthened by a heartfelt moment in which the former Puma ambassador was moved to tears by Izzy’s praise.

Now, in 2024, the UFC star and the marathon hero have reunited for another charitable endeavor. In the present date, the Australian has covered more than 800 miles in 10 days at the Sydney Olympic Park as he aims to raise another $1.3 million for the same cause. Adesanya’s admiration for Brockmann is evident in his past comments, including a touching tribute on his YouTube channel before UFC 287.

Israel Adesanya revealed his vulnerable side to Nedd Brockmann

Adesanya was talking on his YouTube channel ‘Freestylebender’ with ultra-marathon legend Nedd Brockmann. The Australian native asked ‘The Last Stylebender’ about his mindset before going into the octagon at UFC 287.

As a reply, Izzy replied, “Bro, trust me like for me personally, it’s you know, it’s funny every time. I see people and they come to talk to me. Take a picture or whatever they’ll be like, ‘Oh yeah go get that belt. Make sure you bring that belt back home’ and for me, in my head, I’m just like f*ck the belt. I’m gonna knock him out. Yeah, beat the sh*t out. I don’t say that, just kind of like it, just like it rings in my head.”

Adesanya also acknowledged that fans can be fickle when influenced by the collective mindset of a crowd. However, he attributes this to a lack of individual perception rather than personal malice. Izzy’s compassionate nature may surprise some, but his involvement in this cause highlights his commitment to giving back to the community. Share your thoughts on Adesanya’s softer side and the impact of their charitable efforts in the comments below.