"Why? Because I'm black" - When Israel Adesanya moved souls with his speech at Black Lives Matter protest in Auckland
Former UFC champion Israel Adesanya is a proud representative of the African diaspora spread across the world. The 34-year-old fighter often speaks up for the African people and even participated in the Black Lives Matter protests that shook up the world in 2020, touching upon the problems faced by African origin people in Western society.
Adesanya participated in a Black Lives Matter rally in Auckland, New Zealand, where he lives. As a prominent member of the African community, Adesanya addressed the crowd with an articulate speech:
“I’m pissed off! Wait… How many of you walk into a store and have to put your hands behind your back just so they don’t think you’re stealing? How many of you walk down the street and have to kind of smile and try to make the person who even sees already scared of you, make them feel comfortable.”
Israel Adesanya then went on to share his own experience of dealing with racism and added:
“I just moved (apartments) and I’m on the top floor and I have to go in the elevator. Three times already I’ve had to have racist, scared white people jump when they see me and I smile at them. So now I’ve got to stay to the side and let them walk through just so they don’t get scared when they see me. Why? Because I’m black.”
Watch Israel Adesanya address the Black Lives Matter rally in Auckland below:
Israel Adesanya received negative publicity for his proximity to China
Israel Adesanya’s African lineage is one of the most prominent aspects of his identity in the MMA world. He was widely praised for being one of the first African-born UFC champions in the organization’s history. However, a series of old videos created a stir in the MMA community.
Adesanya was born in Nigeria, and his family migrated to New Zealand when he was young. He rose to prominence as a kickboxer, but a vast majority of his early career was spent in the People’s Republic of China. He was known as ‘The Black Dragon’ in the regional scene and credits the country for molding him into the elite fighter that he is.
In another video, ‘The Last Stylebender’ claimed to be ‘Chinese at heart,’ which turned a large number of fans on him. Adesanya’s association with China became a talking point when his rival Sean Strickland brought it up during an appearance on the ‘Joe Rogan Experience’ podcast.
While it brought a lot of negative publicity for Israel Adesanya, it also became an inseparable aspect of the build-up to his UFC 293 fight against Sean Strickland.