
USA Today via Reuters
MMA: UFC 271-Adesanya vs Whittaker, Feb 12, 2022 Houston, Texas, UNITED STATES Israel Adesanya red gloves before the fight against Robert Whittaker blue gloves during UFC 271 at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports, 12.02.2022 23:17:05, 17676709, NPStrans, Israel Adesanya, Toyota Center, MMA, Robert Whittaker PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xTroyxTaorminax 17676709

USA Today via Reuters
MMA: UFC 271-Adesanya vs Whittaker, Feb 12, 2022 Houston, Texas, UNITED STATES Israel Adesanya red gloves before the fight against Robert Whittaker blue gloves during UFC 271 at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports, 12.02.2022 23:17:05, 17676709, NPStrans, Israel Adesanya, Toyota Center, MMA, Robert Whittaker PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xTroyxTaorminax 17676709
What does the career of Israel Adesanya lack? Most of them won’t be able to answer. The flamboyant champion had a dominant run in the UFC, except for one minor hiccup with Alex Pereira. He had a splendid comeback and is again occupying the top spot in the middleweight division’s food chain. Despite his boastful resume, there is still one achievement that escapes him.
The 34-year-old is 22-2, and out of his 22 wins, 16 came via knockout. Thus, suggesting his penchant for fighting on the feet and finishing it there only. However, there is one aspect that he lacks, as pointed out by his critics, in his fight against Jan Blachowicz: his ground game.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Israel Adesanya opens up about what he deeply wants to happen in his career
Let’s stretch his 22-2 record further, and you will find out that the Nigerian-Kiwi fighter has yet to register a submission win in his career. He even accepted that he wanted to showcase his grappling skills when the ‘Stylebender’ appeared in an interview with TSN. Further, when asked what he deeply wanted to do before he hung up his gloves, he had only one answer in mind: A submission win.
Adesanya said, “What do I want in my career? Submission. I definitely want a submission. Following this, the UFC champion mentioned that this could come true in his upcoming fight against Sean Strickland at UFC 293. He knew ‘Tarzan’ would wrestle, and if he didn’t, he would be ,”dumb”.
Adesanya added, “It might be this fight. I know he’s going to wrestle. Easy. He’ll be dumb not to [do] so. I know he’s gonna try. And mix it up. He’s doing this whole thing. Man dance, man dance. He’s done a crotch sniff. That’s what he’s gonna do.”
Meanwhile, his opponent has laid out his strategy ahead of their fight. As expected, the American fighter would mix wrestling, but that’s not it. It appears he might refrain from taking the fight to the ground, despite working tirelessly on it.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Sean Strickland his wrestling conundrum against Adesanya
Strickland, at 27-5, recently revealed he had been wrestling in his camp. However, there was more to it. He said, “I think to myself, I want to f*cking stand and bang with this guy… But I should wrestle. I’ve been planning to wrestle.”

via Imago
April 8, 2023, Miami, FL, Miami, Florida, United States: MIAMI, FLORIDA – APRIL 8: L-R Alex Pereira battles Israel Adesanya in their middleweight fight during the UFC 287 event at Kaseya Center on April 8, 2023 in Miami, FL, United States. Miami, FL United States – ZUMAp175 20230408_zsa_p175_191 Copyright: xAlejandroxSalazarx
Thus, when both would clash at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney on September 10, it would be an amusing sight. There would be a couple of predictable questions with unpredictable answers. Whether Strickland would stick to his wrestling strategy. Whether Adesanya would register his first submission win.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
What do you think of these comments by Israel Adesanya? Do you believe he’ll get a submission soon? Let us know in the comments below.
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT