WATCH: Israel Adesanya gets emotional watching Jamahal Hill becoming new LHW champion
Israel Adesanya was keenly watching the first UFC pay-per-view card of 2023, which went down in Brazil on Saturday. Jamahal Hill earned a dominant decision win over Glover Teixeira in the main event at UFC 283.
The first DWCS graduate in history to become a champion, 'Sweet Dreams' was visibly overwhelmed by emotions as he broke down in tears. Adesanya could seemingly relate to Hill as the former middleweight champion also got somewhat emotional while watching the newly crowned light heavyweight champion.
While Hill outclassed Teixeira in all aspects, the 43-year-old Brazilian surprisingly went the distance, refusing to be put away. Israel Adesanya praised Hill for maintaining his composure in the face of Teixeira's grit. 'The Last Stylebender' said on his YouTube channel:
"Very special. Crazy. Because I said, only few, very few humans will understand that feeling. Even watching Jamahal Hill go through it, I was getting chills watching him. And to get to that point in a fight like that..He's dominating but to get to the fifth round, you're trying to put this guy away, he's not going away...And some people can fold under that kind of pressure, but he didn't. He stayed true...He's crying, emotional, it's f***ing beautiful man."
Watch Adesanya's reaction below:
Israel Adesanya reacts to Glover Teixeira's retirement
Glover Teixeira continued to march forward till the closing bell despite being brutally cut open and rocked by Jamahal Hill multiple times. The 43-year-old hung up his gloves in front of his home fans in the immediate aftermath of his title loss to Hill.
Teixeira also admitted being too tough for his own good, to which Israel Adesanya agrees. Adesanya, like many others, saw the fight coming to an end on at least two occasions, only to be proven wrong.
'The Last Stylebender' lauded Teixeira's toughness but also supported his decision to retire. The former middleweight champion added in his UFC 283 reaction video (7:19):
"F***ing comeback king. He's right there, man doesn't go away. People like that, they're are hard to fight...And like he said, 'Too tough for his own good'. So he's a smart man to know, 'Okay I don't wanna keep taking damage like this from these young guys. So, hang it up'. And what a way to hang it up in his home country."
Glover Teixeira placed his gloves in the center of the Octagon after an epic battle at #UFC283 https://t.co/InEUwZPtnJ