"F***ing entitled" - Israel Adesanya describes how he feels when fans disrupt his personal life
Coming into UFC 276, Israel Adesanya is interested to see whether Jared Cannonier can handle the extra attention and media demands that come with being the main event on International Fight Week.
Adesanya was speaking with Yahoo! Sports and explained how champ life isn't for everyone. Most fighters get to spend fight week preparing for battle. Champs and contenders need to open their schedule up to endless interviews and promotional duties.
That doesn't bother 'The Last Stylebender,' though. His only complaint on the level of fame he's hit is about clueless fans interrupting him in his daily life.
"I'll be on a date or I'll be out with my family or friends, and people just want to take, take, take regardless of 'Yo, I'm with my family right now, like can you not?' And they always say 'Aw, I don't mean to be that guy, but can I get a photo?' And I'm like 'Well, you're being that guy, so clearly you mean to be that guy. And you can see I'm with my family trying to have a beautiful dinner, yet here you are feeling f***ing entitled and important enough to destroy the flow of our family conversation to come in.'"
If you heard I’m an asshole, I probably was. But they probably came at me entitled and expecting me to do whatever they want, asking me questions like they’re TMZ. All I ask for is respect and courtesy, I will only reflect what you give me…I’m human. https://t.co/5gWMYetuei
'Izzy' added on by saying:
"So those are the hardest bits for me, but I know how to deal with them. I like fans and taking photos, don't get me wrong. But it's time and place and if it's not the time and place, don't disturb me. Don't pull up on me in traffic and scare me and try and grab a photo. Because that's happened multiple times."
Watch the full interview with Israel Adesanya here.
'The Last Stylebender' has brought this issue up multiple times in interviews, yet the problem still persists. In fact, it's probably only going to get worse if the middleweight champion continues to rack up impressive wins.
FIIIIIIIIIGHT WEEEEEEEK!!!
@stylebender vs @killagorillamma is LIVE SATURDAY on @ESPNPlus PPV! #UFC276 https://t.co/EBgO9BFeoB
Israel Adesanya details startling traffic light photo op gone wrong
As Israel Adesanya said, don't jump out of nowhere at a traffic light and try to force a photo op on him in his car. Speaking to New Zealand radio station The Rock, 'The Last Stylebender' recalled the last time that happened.
"Okay, a weird one. We were at the lights right, chilling, it was a nice day, window down. Out of nowhere, I didn’t even hear this guy, I just literally ... boom! ‘Bro, I gotta get a photo!' I was like ‘What the f***.’ At the lights! … I was like ‘Who the f*** are you?’ He was like ‘Bro, I’m a big fan, you’re famous!' I’m like ‘No, I’m human, f*** off,’ and I wound up the window.”
Watch Israel Adesanya on The Rock below:
So a friendly reminder to anyone who sees Israel Adesanya and his team around Las Vegas during International Fight Week: make sure he's not having dinner or waiting in traffic before approaching him for a selfie.