“He Was Busy on Twitter”- Despite $62,853,000 Success, Israel Adesanya Blamed for Entertaining 1.7M Fans Following Sean Strickland Upset at UFC 293

At UFC 293 in Sydney, the entire MMA community witnessed Israel Adesanya’s shocking loss of his middleweight title to Sean Strickland. After securing a devastating knockout victory against Alex Pereira, Adesanya entered the matchup as the overwhelming favorite.

However, the fight did not unfold as expected. Strickland dropped the champion in the 1st round and ultimately won via unanimous decision after 5 rounds. Chael Sonnen, a two-time UFC middleweight title challenger and analyst, delved into why Adesanya may have faltered in the title bout, offering an intriguing theory.

Chael Sonnen reveals potential reason behind Israel Adesanya’s UFC 293 loss

Sonnen suggested that Adesanya’s lackluster performance could be due to his heavy engagement on Twitter and social media. He cited a conversation with Ariel Helwani, who proposed Adesanya’s social media activity as a potential excuse.

Sonnen emphasized that the pressure on Adesanya to promote the event and ensure it reached a global audience was significant. And would be unlikely to diminish in a potential rematch.

He said, “He was busy on Twitter and social media. In fact, I just spoke to Ariel Helwani and Ariel offered that as a potential excuse how busy Izzy was on social media. Which I think is just the larger part that Ariel is speaking to is how much was on his shoulders to bring this event and make sure it was out there in front of the world. I just don’t see that changing for the rematch.”

According to UFC’s post-event data, the event generated $62,853,000 in PPV buys, with ticket sales revenue reaching $6.86 million. With 1.7 million followers on Twitter/X, many consider Adesanya one of the sport’s biggest draws, which further contributes to the pressure highlighted by Sonnen.

The question remains whether Adesanya and Strickland will engage in an immediate rematch. Nevertheless, another fighter has voiced his desire to be the next challenger for Sean Strickland. And that he was underwhelmed by Adesanya’s performance.

Dricus Du Plessis doesn’t want to fight ‘amateur’ Israel Adesanya

Dricus Du Plessis initially lined up for a title shot against Israel Adesanya after he achieved a TKO stoppage win in the 2nd round over former champion Robert Whittaker. Their post-fight confrontation generated substantial interest, and fans clamored for Du Plessis to receive the next title shot.

Unfortunately, Du Plessis suffered an injury that made him unavailable for UFC 293, paving the way for Sean Strickland to seize the opportunity.

In an Instagram post following Strickland’s championship win, Du Plessis mentioned a desire to fight Israel Adesanya in South Africa.  Stating, “After that, I’ll give @stylebender his well-deserved hiding on my home soil South Africa. That being said, I don’t want to beat the amateur that fought on Saturday night; I want to beat the best @stylebender, so take some time and get your stuff together.” 

Read More: “Let’s Make It Happen” – Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira Agree for a ‘Fight’ and UFC Fans Go Berserk Over Unusual Conditions

In conclusion, Chael Sonnen’s theory suggests that Adesanya’s intense social media promotion and the role of being the event’s marquee name might have detracted from his training focus. While Dricus Du Plessis is eager to be the next challenger for Sean Strickland’s championship title.

Who do you believe should be Sean Strickland’s next opponent? Did Israel Adesanya’s social media activity contribute to his loss? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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