The UFC just struck its biggest sponsorship deal ever, and it’s a monster, literally. Monster Energy is pouring in over $100 million, according to MMA insider Damon Martin, locking in its place as the Octagon’s undisputed energy drink king. That’s a whole lot of neon-green cash. Dana White is thrilled and Monster-backed fighters are patting each other on the back. The Octagon? It’s practically getting a fresh coat of Monster branding as we speak. But guess who isn’t celebrating? Israel Adesanya.

If there’s one thing ‘The Last Stylebender’ hates more than losing, it’s Monster Energy. This isn’t just a mild dislike, it’s a full-blown, years-long personal vendetta. We’re talking about a man who has, shoved Monster cans off the table at press conferences and crossed out their logo in the Octagon. And finally, accused fighters who sign with Monster of ‘selling their souls.’ Moreover, fighters are expected to hold the cans while Bruce Buffer prepares to declare their eventual fate, no matter how hurt they are.

Subtle? Not exactly. So, why does Izzy despise Monster so much? Is this a noble crusade against corporate influence, or is there more to the story? “They went looking for a monster but found a beast,” Adesanya once wrote, a cryptic middle finger to the brand. He has long suggested that Monster strategically backs his opponents right before he fights them. “Isn’t it funny that any time I have to fight someone, Monster signs them immediately and becomes a fan of them?” he pointed out, fueling the fire that Monster might not exactly be in his corner.

Then there’s Hans Molenkamp, the Monster Energy rep whose ‘pay-to-play’ sponsorship approach has faced major backlash. While Adesanya hasn’t called out Molenkamp directly, former 135lbs king Dominick Cruz did. ‘The Dominator’ accused him of using sponsorship deals to boost his social status by using his position to leverage fighters for selfies. All of this is to pretend that they are close in real life.

Cruz had this to say at the UFC 259 post-fight interview, “I would like to get a charity fight lined up… There is a guy named Hans Molenkamp, who is been holding a lot of fighters hostage, been saying he is an awesome pro fighter that he can take on everybody… I would love for Monster to pick a charity of their choice and me and Hans got it… He’s been forcing us to comment on his photos, forcing us to do videos and pictures with him, just in order to hold our contracts hostage.

He further quipped, “We’re in a day and age where if I take a picture with Conor McGregor, now I’m Conor McGregor’s ‘friend,’ right? If I take a picture with Dominick Cruz and have him commenting on my page, we’re in a day and age where that looks like we’re friends. Well, I may be your friend, but you can’t use me in order to get ‘clout,’ as they put it.”

Izzy’s refusal to work with Monster suddenly makes a lot more sense. But his grudge hit its peak at the UFC 293 press conference when he stared down Sean Strickland and asked, “Did you sell your soul?”

That wasn’t just trash talk. It was a direct shot at Tarzan’s Monster sponsorship. A not-so-subtle dig that suggested that fighters who sign with the brand are compromising something bigger than just an endorsement deal. And while Strickland went on to upset Adesanya and take his belt, there was no mistaking that the former champ saw his opponent’s allegiance to Monster as a deal with the devil.

Did the UFC just snub Israel Adesanya while securing its biggest sponsorship deal?

Despite Adesanya’s open disdain, Dana White didn’t just renew the UFC’s partnership with Monster Energy, he doubled down. The UFC boss called it “the biggest sponsorship deal for both Monster and the UFC,” effectively ensuring that those neon-green claw marks will stay plastered all over the Octagon for years to come.

Monster-backed fighters like Jon Jones and Daniel Cormier, two men who barely agree on anything, both praised the deal. It is proof of just how deeply the energy drink giant is embedded in the UFC’s DNA. White himself was practically beaming. “They’re very passionate about the sport. They love the brand. We love Monster.” Well, not everyone loves Monster. Adesanya, fresh off a brutal loss to Nassourdine Imavov, is still hardly in the fight game. But his war against Monster isn’t cooling down anytime soon. After all, he’s been pulling these stunts for years, even crossing out the logo on the mat after knocking out Alex Pereira at UFC 287.

Why the grudge? According to the true South African, it all started when he rejected a deal with Monster. A decision that, in his mind, has made him persona non grata with the brand. But here’s where things get interesting. Adesanya didn’t just reject Monster. He signed with PRIME, the hydration brand co-owned by Logan Paul and KSI.

Izzy’s training partner at City Kickboxing and close friend, Alexander Volkanovski, is also a PRIME athlete. And let’s be real, Monster and PRIME aren’t just competitors, they’re at war for dominance in the energy drink market. The UFC may have doubled down on Monster, but Adesanya has planted his flag firmly in PRIME territory. Suddenly, his public disdain for Monster doesn’t seem entirely personal, it looks a lot like business.

At the end of the day, the UFC just secured a massive payday with Monster. While the former champ continues his rebellion. But what’s the endgame? What do you think? Is Adesanya truly standing against Monster on principle, or did he just pick a different corporate giant to back? And if his stance is about personal ethics, why did he cozy up to another massive brand that’s equally invested in combat sports? Let us know in the comments below!