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Israel Adesanya posted a reminder of how much attention he has been bringing New Zealand in an apparent shot at the country's authorities. The UFC middleweight champion posted an Instagram story comparing his social media followers to those of five different national rugby leagues.
The post revealed that Adesanya has more fans on Instagram (4.9 million) than the combined followers (3.9 million) of the national rugby squads of Australia, England, South Africa, France, and of course, New Zealand's All-Blacks. Rugby union is New Zealand's national sport and the most popular pastime among Kiwis.
'The Last Stylebender' believes New Zealand authorities are deliberately getting in the way of his team at City Kickboxing by imposing strict measures that prevent them from operating smoothly. He previously said officials have been making life "really difficult" for him and his teammates, sparking rumors of the camp moving to the United States.
City Kickboxing head coach Eugene Bareman confirmed plans are in place for a potential move to the U.S. during an appearance on Submission Radio. However, Bareman stressed that their plans are still in the preliminary stages.
Adesanya's teammate and compatriot Dan Hooker successfully returned to UFC 266, but not without encountering some issues. 'The Hangman' was almost forced out of his scheduled bout due to delays in the approval of his travel clearance.
Dan Hooker defends Israel Adesanya from NZ media
UFC lightweight standout Dan Hooker believes Israel Adesanya is unfairly portrayed by the New Zealand media. Appearing on the latest episode of The MMA Hour, Hooker told Ariel Helwani that Adesanya did nothing to deserve such treatment from the Kiwi press.
He slammed reports that the UFC middleweight champion dislikes New Zealand. This comes after Adesanya said he will no longer compete in the country because of the treatment they have been receiving from authorities. Hooker said:
"I think they're just portraying him in a negative light, saying that he's asking for too much or asking for special treatment. How can asking to go to work be asking for special treatment?"
Watch Dan Hooker speak up for Israel Adesanya below:
