"I'm a household name in Combat" - When Jon Jones was unfazed by Israel Adesanya's growing popularity
Jon Jones and Israel Adesanya have been locked in a feud for years. Interestingly, before Jones ventured into the heavyweight division, the possibility of these two superstars facing off was a hot topic. However, the much-anticipated mega-fight never came to fruition.
The feud between the two escalated when Adesanya began taunting Jon Jones over his legal woes and controversies. Adesanya didn't stop there; he even poked fun at Jones’ lost Nike endorsement. Sparks flew, and Jones, far from backing down, fired back with fervor.
In an interview from the past, Jon Jones had this to say about Adesanya's growing popularity:
"I don't think a long, lean middleweight [Israel Adesanya] would present much of a challenge, especially once I get my hands on him and take him to the ground. The truth is, I'm light years ahead in every aspect of this game. I'm way ahead of this kid [Israel Adesanya]. "
Jones added:
"People can be more popular than me. You've got guys like Conor who make more money than me. I'm not in it for what's hot right now. I'm a household name in combat... I've been winning world championships. I've been doing this for years."
Check out Jon Jones' interview below:
Many may find this unbelievable, but Adesanya and Jones have surprisingly buried the hatchet. Both fighters have stated that the other is their favorite UFC fighter.
Israel Adesanya shared the viral video that signaled the end of their feud on Twitter. It showed 'The Stylebender' sitting next to heavyweight champion Jon Jones, both of whom appeared cheerful and playful with one another.
Robert Whittaker weighs in on the potential rematch between Israel Adesanya and Sean Strickland
In a shocking turn of events at UFC 293, we witnessed one of the most significant upsets in middleweight history when Sean Strickland secured a unanimous decision victory over Israel Adesanya.
Robert Whittaker, the former middleweight champion, shared his perspective on the aftermath of Adesanya's loss during an interview with Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour.
Whittaker expressed that while Adesanya's defeat places the UFC in a challenging position. He believes that the Nigerian-New Zealander now needs to string together some victories before challenging for the gold once more.
"I think it's unwise for Izzy to receive an immediate rematch," said Whittaker. "This isn't his first loss as a champion. Technically, he didn't defend the belt successfully. He lost to Pereira, regained the belt, and then lost it again. We need to consider whether the intention is to grant him endless rematches whenever he desires. It's time to take a step back; that's how the fight game works."
Check out Whittaker's take on Adesanya in the video below: