Derek Brunson says he wants to beat Israel Adesanya in his backyard, Dan Hooker says it's doubtful
After solidifying his status as a deserving title challenger, Derek Brunson has put forth the idea of a championship matchup between himself and Israel Adesanya. To make things more interesting, he wants the bout to take place at the reigning champ's hometown of Auckland, New Zealand.
Brunson took to Twitter to issue a callout to Adesanya a couple of days after his victory over Darren Till. Brunson wrote:
"What needs to happen is Israel Adesanya vs Derek Brunson 2 in Auckland, New Zealand. The statement I need to make, needs to be done in his backyard!"
However, Adesanya's teammate and fellow Kiwi Dan Hooker pointed out that, while he's a fan of Brunson's suggestion, it's unlikely for New Zealand to host a UFC event anytime soon. Hooker responded by tweeting:
Israel Adesanya has previously expressed interest in defending the title in his hometown. Following his successful title defense at UFC 263, the champion called for a rematch against Robert Whittaker in New Zealand.
As of now, though, Brunson will have to wait at least one more fight before he can challenge for the title. Top-ranked middleweight Whittaker is all but guaranteed a sequel fight against Adesayna, which is expected to take place in early 2022.
Israel Adesanya trolls Derek Brunson after his UFC Fight Night 191 win
Reigning UFC middleweight kingpin Israel Adesanya has made it a habit to poke fun at his division's top contenders in lieu of a congratulatory message. Adesanya took a shot at the veteran shortly after his submission victory over Darren Till.
'The Last Stylebender' posted a clip of Derek Brunson saying Adesanya was next and he's coming for the title. Adesanya clapped back by telling the American to calm down and calling him a "bum."
Adesanya was the last person to defeat Brunson before the latter went on a five-fight winning streak. Their first go-round took place at UFC 230, a fight that Adesanya handled with relative ease as he put Brunson away via first-round TKO.
Since then, the Kiwi fighter has gone on to capture the UFC middleweight crown and remains unbeaten in the 185-pound division.