UFC champion Israel Adesanya prefers fighting behind-closed-doors as you don't have 'drunk' fans yelling 'twist his d---'
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Alan Dawson
Sep 27, 2020, 19:03 IST
Israel Adesanya.Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Israel Adesanya beat Paulo Costa with ease at the behind-closed-doors UFC 253 event in Abu Dhabi on Saturday.
It was the UFC middleweight champion's first fight during the pandemic era of sports, having won his last fight in March before coronavirus-enforced lockdowns.
Adesanya told reporters at the post-event press conference that he actually prefers fighting in an empty arena.
He said it's because you don't get fans who've been drinking for six hours yelling obscenities like "twist his d---."
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The UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya prefers fighting behind-closed-doors because he says you don't get drunk fans yelling obscenities in the middle of a match.
Adesanya retained his UFC title with a masterclass performance inside the Flash Forum on Fight Island. In partnership with the Abu Dhabi government, the purpose-built arena provides the world's leading mixed martial arts firm with a quarantined bubble to host events during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Nigerian-born New Zealand striker ushered in a second UFC residency on Fight Island, defending his belt against the middleweight challenger Paulo Costa, beating the Brazilian with ease.
Adesanya told reporters at the post-fight press conference that, while he loves MMA fans, there appears to be fewer distractions when there is no audience.
"I love it, honestly … it's much better," the 31-year-old said.
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"You don't have these drunk guys who have been drinking since six hours ago, yelling: 'Knock him out,' 'Stand him up, ref,' [and] 'Twist his d---.'
"I love fans, do not get me wrong, and this event would have been beautiful with fans, but at the same breath some of them, in droves, are stupid — dumb as f---."
Adesanya continued: "I have beautiful interactions [with fans] most times, but the mob mentality [makes them] dumb as pig s---."
Adesanya's performance impressed the UFC president Dana White
The performance earned him a $50,000 bonus and left the UFC president Dana White awe-struck.
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White told reporters: "So much for fight of the year [as that was a] domination of the year.
"If you look at every other fight Costa has had, he comes out and goes after people like they owe him money. And I think he landed one jab in this fight, didn't try to clinch in the fence, and didn't try to put pressure … kept going back to the center of the Octagon — very weird."
White added: "Adesanya put on a clinic. The first three calf kicks busted his leg, hit him on the side of his knee — a huge welt, shin to the eye. He absolutely dismantled him and easily won the fight."
With victory, Adesanya advanced his pro-MMA record to a flawless 20 wins (15 knockouts and five decisions), unbeaten.
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