Nigeria’s Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight champion, Israel ‘Last Style Bender’ Adesanya has disclosed that he is determined to overcome what he calls ‘online hate.’
Megasportsarena.com reports that, speaking on the backdrop of his latest victory in The Octagon, the New Zealand-based champ stressed that ‘haters’ cannot stop his stride to greater height in UFC.
He acknowledged that he is expecting more abuse via the internet and social media platforms, following his victory over Italy’s Marvin Vettori last Saturday, but stressed that he will not allow it to affect him.
It was a massive comeback for Adesanya, who lost to UFC’s light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in his last fight while trying to add a second title belt, but remains undefeated as a middleweight.
The crafty UFC middleweight belt holder left no doubt in the rematch, pummeling Vettori with a flurry of kicks to the head and legs to defend his title.
Adesanya (21-1) kept out of reach from Vettori’s powerful punches most of the night and used his feet effectively, keeping the Italian fighter off balance. The Nigeria-born New Zealander won 50-45 on all three judges’ scorecards in the third full-capacity UFC event.
‘The Last Style Bender’ and Vettori fought in Glendale three years ago, a split-decision win by Adesanya that left neither fighter satisfied, as the Italian believed he won and the Nigerian thought it was too close, thereby making the rematch contentious, including an off-the-rails news conference last Thursday.
Vettori (17-4-1), as he did in the first fight, had some success on the ground in the rematch after a couple of takedowns in front of a sold-out crowd. Adesanya wriggled free and was active with his feet, wearing out the Italian’s front leg while dodging most of his big punches.
Adesanya snaked out of another takedown in the fifth round and continued to work over Vettori with his feet to defend his title, as he managed to get up each time and used his massive edge in striking to dominate the fight.
There was little doubt that Adesanya was in command throughout and, after the fight, he called out former champion Robert Whittaker, whom he knocked out in the second round in Australia in 2019.
Saturday’s win also came less than a month after his friend and training partner, Fau Vake, was murdered in New Zealand, in memory of who Adesanya laid the UFC belt on the canvas at Gila River Arena in Glendale, dropped to his knees and bowed his head in solace.
Adesanya said: “Fau Vake, I love you man. This fight I dedicate to you. We need to run that back in Auckland, in my territory this time,” Adesanya said. “Why? I’m the f***ing king, b****!”
