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Israel Adesanya walked out donning a hat-and-mask costume for his third UFC middleweight title defense last night. The uncanny outfit left fans wondering what 'The Last Stylebender' was trying to signify with his walkout theme at UFC 263.
In a post-fight interview, Israel Adesanya revealed that the inspiration behind his walkout costume was a video game called 'Ghost of Tsushima.' Impressed by the aesthetics of the protagonist's attire, the Kiwi champion chose to walk out wearing a black and golden mask.
"I was playing Ghost of Tsushima for a bit. I haven't clocked it yet. Also... I saw a picture of Fau [Vake] with a bucket hat...So yeah, a little bit of that but there's the look of it [the costume]. It just looks cool. This is martial arts, man. I just like to f-----g look cool." said Israel Adesanya.
Check out Israel Adesanya's walkout below:
Released in July 2020, 'Ghost of Tsushima' is an open-world samurai game set in feudal Japan, per IGN. Developed by Sucker Punch Productions, the video game follows the journey of a samurai named Jin Sakai, who has to protect Tsushima Island during the first Mongol invasion of Japan.
As of March 2021, the highly-rated video game is said to have sold 6.5 million copies owing to its visuals and combat. You can check out the detailed review of 'Ghost of Tsushima' on Sportskeeda's ESports & Gaming section here.
Who will fight Israel Adesanya next?
Following his win over Marvin Vettori, Israel Adesanya wants to run it back with the number one contender and former champion Robert Whittaker. In his post-fight octagon interview, the Kiwi champion called out for a rematch with Whittaker on his home turf in Auckland.
"I don't know what will happen with all this COVID s**t, but if he [Whittaker] wants to run that back, we will do it in Auckland - my territory. You don't get to decide, I get to decide. Do you know why? Because I'm the mother f***ing king," said Adesanya.
Robert Whittaker has certainly solidified his case for being the next title contender in line by stacking three consecutive wins. It will be interesting to see if the Aussie has adequate tools to dethrone Adesanya in their second encounter.
Who do you think will win the rematch, Israel Adesanya or Robert Whittaker? Comment below!
