Has Israel Adesanya turned 'heel?' Chael Sonnen explains how new character arc may change fan dynamics
Chael Sonnen reckons Israel Adesanya turned 'heel' following his knockout win over Alex Pereira to regain the middleweight championship and avenge his losses to his longtime rival.
On The MMA Hour, Sonnen explained how Adesanya's character change could alter fan dynamics. He said that the middleweight champion's post-fight press conference was very telling and could have a hidden message as he looks to defend his title against new opponents.
Sonnen said:
"Adesanya tried to act like we're square? He (Alex Pereira) ran you out of a sport; he chased you down in this one; he beat you at the mecca. I mean, not for nothing but your not square unless you're a heel. And if you're a heel, it matters because what are they gonna do next?"
Heel Turn? https://t.co/iRcE6LOXzC
'The American Gangster' then made a comparison to Tito Ortiz after he beat Chuck Liddell in their trilogy fight long after their prime.
He said that if 'Izzy' is a heel and continues to claim that he's done with 'Poatan', it could lead to fans pushing for the promotion to book a trilogy fight:
"If 'Izzy' doesn't wanna fight him and that's what he said, 'No, we're done; everything is square; we're done. I could move on with my life,' and you're a heel. ... then the audience is gonna push back on what your request is, which is gonna land him in a trilogy fight with Pereira. It's a big deal, and I'm just wondering if other people see it this way."
It appears as though Pereira will move up to light heavyweight, but it remains to be seen if Sonnen is correct with his explanation, leading to a trilogy bout at either 185 or 205 lbs.
Chael Sonnen believes Dricus Du Plessis could earn next middleweight title shot
Israel Adesanya regaining the middleweight championship poses an interesting dilemma for UFC matchmakers, as he has already beaten the top-five middleweights and some of them more than once.
During his aforementioned appearance on The MMA Hour, Chael Sonnen provided a unique option for 'Izzy's first title defense in his second reign as champion. He said that Dricus Du Plessis could emerge as the next contender because of his recent performances. Sonnen said:
"We could move down the rankings to who hasn't been there yet; we could bring in Du Plessis; he's got the African tie-in; he's on a little bit of a roll; let's get this done." [2:37:55 - 2:38:01]