What issue did Israel Adesanya have with Jon Anik? UFC commentator explains their beef
Israel Adesanya's issues with Jon Anik have been clarified by the UFC play-by-play commentator.
The beef may not have been well documented, but Anik spoke candidly about how Adesanya took umbrage with him over not viewing his first title fight with Robert Whittaker as the first title defense of Adesanya's career.
'The Last Stylebender' won the interim middleweight title against Kelvin Gastelum in 2019, and then defeated Whittaker at UFC 243 later that year to unify the belts. Israel Adesanya believes that his win over Whittaker should count as his first title defense, something that Jon Anik doesn't agree with.
During a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Anik said this:
"Israel Adesanya, in the past, took great issue with me suggesting that his first win over Robert Whittaker was not a title defense. Because he had just beaten Kelvin Gastelum, he felt like he was defending a piece of the title and he very much considers that a championship title defense."
Watch the interview below:
In February 2022, Israel Adesanya appeared to put his rivalry with Robert Whittaker to bed following a second win over 'The Reaper'. He was then captured saying this at the post-fight press conference.
"This is my fifth title defense. I don’t know why people keep saying it’s my fourth. It makes no sense. I was the interim champion. I still have that ‘interim’ belt, and in the interim, I’m the champion. If he beat me at UFC 243, that would have counted as a defense of his belt so when I beat him, that’s not just unifying the belt. That counts as a defense for my belt... Stop saying four title defenses. That’s my fifth title defense. Put some f*cking respect on my sh*t."
Watch the video below:
Israel Adesanya sends Dricus du Plessis a message ahead of Robert Whittaker clash
Israel Adesanya's callout of Dricus du Plessis at UFC 287 may have boosted the South African's efforts in getting the next middleweight title shot.
As per a recent UFC announcement, du Plessis is set to take on former champion Robert Whittaker at UFC 290 in a title eliminator fight. The winner is set to take on Adesanya in Sydney, Australia, later this year.
Following the UFC's announcement, 'The Last Stylebender' took to Twitter to send Dricus du Plessis a message:
"Please win."
See the post below:
Please win. twitter.com/dricusduplessi…