'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Israel Adesanya has given his thoughts on the increased success of African fighters in mixed martial arts.
While there's a lot to be said for all of the champions currently residing in the UFC, there's a special movement happening with African fighters in the promotion. UFC president Dana White has spoken about how badly he wants to hold an event in Africa, and for good reason. Three of his champs have roots in this special part of the world.
Israel Adesanya is the king of the middleweights, Kamaru Usman runs the show at welterweight, and Francis Ngannou looks like an unstoppable force at heavyweight. Over the next few years, there's seemingly no limit to what all three can accomplish.
During a recent appearance on talkSPORT, the UFC middleweight champion spoke about what it meant for him to see this shift:
“I feel like, honestly, when the game of mixed martial arts really grasps the whole of Africa as a continent, it’s gonna be over for the rest of the world for a while. I’ve used this term before, it’s gonna be like when 50 Cent dropped In da Club and then everyone else just sat down and went like, alright, it’s his time. It’s gonna be our time and it’s crazy because right now, we’re in it... later on when... I’m looking at my grandkids, I’ll talk about the legend of Kamaru Usman and Francis Ngannou and myself. How we just dominated at the same time and no one could touch us. It would be something that’s just like legendary, forever.”
Watch Adesanya's interview with talkSPORT below:
The next chapter for Israel Adesanya
In the same interview, Adesanya made sure to put an end to rumors of him fighting Kamaru Usman. He hit out at Usman's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, for even suggesting such an idea. Instead, it seems likely that the next step will be him once again defending the middleweight championship, this time against Jared Cannonier.
It's a showdown that makes sense when you consider the run both men have been on. However, if Adesanya can get past 'The Killa Gorilla', you could argue there's nobody worthwhile left for him to face at 185 pounds.
From there, it's entirely plausible to see him move up to light heavyweight if he so desires.
