UFC’s Israel Adesanya in His Own Words

A world-class striker, an elite entertainer and an enigma on the mic – the mention of the name Israel Adesanya elicits a number of opinions from MMA fans. But for the 32-year-old UFC middleweight champion, the reaction he would like from people when they hear his name is far more simple, Paul Battison writes for BBC Sport.

“I’d like them to smile. Like a good feeling. Yeah, I just want people to have a good memory when they hear my name,” Adesanya tells BBC Sport.

Adesanya, who was born in Nigeria but lives in New Zealand, says one of the most important lessons he has learned during his rise to stardom in the UFC is to protect his personal space and energy.

“Nobody writes a book on how to be famous and how to deal with it, so you have to write your own,” Adesanya says.

Ever since his UFC debut in 2018 Adesanya has stood out from other fighters on the roster, Battison writes.

Original article by Paul Battison, BBC Sport, March 3, 2022.