Israel Adesanya Says He Is The Bigger Draw At UFC 243
Israel Adesanya took the UFC by storm, by earning an interim UFC Middleweight title within a year of being in the organization. Now, he believes that he is the biggest draw heading into UFC 243.
UFC 243 takes place in Sydney, Australia, and is headlined by Robert Whittaker looking to unify his belt against Israel Adesanya. Both men are Kiwi, so this fight is massive in the region. However, if you ask Adesanya, the only reason the fight is so big is because of him.
In a recent interview with Submission Radio, Adesanya spoke about the buzz surrounding the fight. However, he thinks that Whittaker alone would not have such a buzz in the region.
“If it was Rob or anyone else…it could be Robert/Romero part 3, it could be Rob and Chris Weidman, it could be Rob and anyone else, it would not be at Marvel Stadium. It would not be in that kind of an echelon, that kind of a capacity, because it’s just Rob. But at the same time, this is me.”
Moreover, Adesanya says he understands why Whittaker has lost steam. With him having to pull out of his last fight in Sydney on short notice, Israel thinks that cause him to lose momentum.
We have to just be honest. We can’t just lie about it,” Adesanya said. “I’ve been the one pushing the culture forward for fighting down here with my team. And he, unfortunately, hasn’t been because, unfortunately, he’s been pulling out sick. And that’s OK. I called in sick back in my old job once in a while. I know the vibes.
Adesanya says he is the one pushing boundaries, and making headlines, not Whittaker.
“But, yeah, I’m the one pushing the culture forward, so let’s put it this way: if it was anyone else with Rob, it would not be in Marvel stadium. It wouldn’t sell out the way it has been. But because it’s me, that’s why.”
Additionally, Israel Adesanya claims he is making more money than Robert Whittaker, heading into the contest.
“There’s a reason why I’m getting paid more than him, substantially more than him. There’s a reason why my stock is much higher than him.”
Do you think Israel Adesanya is right? Is he the “A-Side” of this bout with Robert Whittaker?
1 thought on “Israel Adesanya: I Am Getting Paid Substantially More Than Robert Whittaker At UFC 243!”
How are both athletes Kiwi? If Whittaker is from NZ as he was born there, then Izzy should be down as from Nigeria where he was born.