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UFC middleweight kingpin Israel Adesanya is infamous for playing mind games with his opponents. 'The Last Stylebender' recently took to social media to launch yet another attack on his opponent at UFC 263, Marvin Vettori.
Fighters often complete training camps to prepare themselves for a series of grueling rounds against their contemporaries. This is taken up a notch when they headline an event or fight for a championship.
However, there is a lot more to fighting than just physical prowess, which Israel Adesanya understands. 'The Last Stylebender' recently posted a video of his next opponent on Instagram in an attempt to get under Vettori's skin.
Israel Adesanya wanted to fight Robert Whittaker
While talking about his future in the division, Israel Adesanya admitted that he hoped to bag a fight against Robert Whittaker in June.
The Australian, whom Adesanya dethroned back in 2019 at UFC 243, has since enjoyed a resurgence, having recorded wins over Darren Till, Jared Cannonier and Kelvin Gastelum.
Cementing himself as the #1 contender, Whittaker was in prime position to reclaim his title.
However, since 'The Reaper' was in no mood to fight for the title after having only recently bested Gastelum, Adesanya was forced to settle for Marvin Vettori. A sentiment that he made painstakingly clear while talking about the same on his YouTube channel.
“I wanted to fight Rob after I’d seen him with Kelvin. Marvin was like, ‘I want to go in October'. Rob was like, ‘I want to go in September'. I’m like, ‘Look, I’m going in June. Whoever wants it, step up,’ and yeah, the Italian stepped up, so kudos to him.”
Marvin Vettori looking to finish the job
Israel Adesanya's upcoming fight against Vettori marks the first rematch of his career, a monumental moment in his professional stint.
However, this is not the only reason this matchup is special. A large faction of detractors believe that Israel Adesanya was wrongly handed the win the first time he fought against Vettori.
Although the fight was extremely close, Israel Adesanya did just enough to eke out a win right from under 'The Italian Dream.' However, Vettori comes into this fight as a changed man, having recorded five wins on the trot.
The southpaw will be looking to redeem himself this time around. Do you think Vettori will vindicate himself come fight night, or will Adesanya remain the king of the middleweights? Let us know in the comments below!
