Israel Adesanya earns high praise from Tom Aspinall ahead of UFC 305: "I’ve learned a lot just from watching him"
UFC heavyweight contender Tom Aspinall has heaped praise on middleweight title challenger Israel Adesanya, describing the former champion as an "absolute technician."
The buildup to Adesanya's fight with Dricus du Plessis for the middleweight title at UFC 305 has been intense. As the anticipation grows, Aspinall takes some time to break down the styles of both fighters, admiring Adesanya's skillset.
“The way that Izzy fights is he has his hands low a bit, and he will constantly keep you guessing. But because he’s so long—6’4” at middleweight is so tall for a middleweight—he’ll do this kind of stuff a lot. He’s so good with his kicks; he fakes with the legs as well, so he’ll be doing a lot of this, then he’ll be coming up."
He added:
"We’ve seen him with his chopping leg kicks, we’ve seen him with the high kicks. He’s just so long, and he reads the fight so well. He’s had so many fights now as well. I’ve learned a lot just from watching him, do you know what I mean?”
The British heavyweight highlighted Adesanya's unorthodox stance and effective use of kicks as key factors in his success. Aspinall believes that Adesanya's ability to adapt and evolve as a fighter is what sets him apart from the competition.
Check out Tom Aspinall's comments on Israel Adesanya below (30:11):
Brendan Schaub predicts Israel Adesanya's final three fights before retirement
Former UFC heavyweight Brendan Schaub has outlined a potential final chapter for Israel Adesanya's MMA career. 'Thicc Boy' believes the middleweight contender will face Dricus du Plessis, Sean Strickland, and Alex Pereira before retiring.
Adesanya and Pereira have already engaged in a thrilling rivalry, with the pair splitting their two UFC bouts. A potential light heavyweight clash between the two is a highly anticipated matchup in the MMA world.
Schaub envisions Adesanya reclaiming the middleweight title from du Plessis this weekend, followed by a rematch against Strickland. A decisive victory over Strickland could solidify Adesanya's legacy as the greatest middleweight of all time, according to Schaub.
"This is how it's going to go. Mark my words. He's going to beat Dricus... Then he's gonna fight Sean Strickland, and he's gonna be a hundred percent focused. He's gonna beat Sean Strickland. Then, he's gonna take a break. And then, you're gonna get Alex versus Izzy at 205 [pounds]. It's his last fight ever. And his wins over Dricus and Sean Strickland, I think there's an argument now, makes him the greatest middleweight of all time. That's how his story ends."
Check out Brendan Schaub's prediction of Israel Adesanya's career below: