UFC

Israel Adesanya is willing to play "he said, she said" in the fight-week run-up to his blockbuster main events. It's no different on the eve of Saturday's UFC 271, at which he'll try for his fourth straight defense of his UFC middleweight title. This time, it's a rematch with Robert Whittaker, who, despite losing to Adesanya by second-round knockout in 2019, is widely viewed as Adesanya's last best challenger at 185 pounds. 

But with Adesanya, there's more to the chatter than embarrassing training stories, random performance-enhancing drug accusations and the rest of the usual fare. In fact, there's always more to it when it comes to Adesanya.

Conversations with the champ tend to cover a wide waterfront, and it was no different when I recently spoke to him in an exclusive interview. We covered his fight with Whittaker and some of their recent back-and-forth, as well as his thoughts on his own game and the state of the wider fight game today.

          

Bleacher Report: A lot of observers liked Whittaker's last performance against Kelvin Gastelum, but you said some people have low standards when it comes to fighting. What, to you, was unimpressive about his performance, or where does the commentary get it wrong?

Israel Adesanya: It's not that I'm not impressed; I'm just saying it's not as impressive as people are making it out to be. With the way people are harping on about it, I guess I expected something better. I guess maybe I've just got high standards for fighting.

B/R: You've indicated Whittaker is not actually as good of a guy as he's made out to be. Whittaker responded by saying he thought you were "confused." Give me the scoop; what made you describe Whittaker that way?

Adesanya: I didn't say I didn't think he was a good guy. He's a guy. You guys are getting your wires crossed and not listening to what I said. There are no good guys here and no bad guys. Just people. People are capable of great good and great evil. I didn't say he wasn't a good guy. I said he's just a guy. I'm not confused. But if he wants to say I'm confused, that's great. But you have to listen before you speak.

        

B/R: Your coach said he'd prefer a five-round "whitewash" against Whittaker; i.e., you winning all five rounds, as opposed to a stoppage like last time. Are you thinking that too?

Adesanya: It's one of the options. There are different ways to win, and one of them is a washout.

It would be like I did it at the finale of The Ultimate Fighter 27 in 2018 against Brad Tavares. [Editor's note: he won the fight 50-45, 50-45, 49-46, meaning one judge gave Tavares one round.]

That was my first main event in the UFC, and I won from beginning to end. It's a pretty dominant way to win, maybe more dominant than a knockout. So something like that would be nice.

        

B/R: Analysts are always quick to point out your feinting, which is a deceptive movement or a feigned strike attempt designed to entice or confuse an opponent. Why is feinting such a big part of your game, and why is it so effective?

Adesanya: Feinting is as useful a tool as a jab. It's just a part of fighting. But it's something fighters at the highest levels aren't doing very often, and I find that appalling. But at my gym, City Kickboxing, we've changed the game when it comes to that.

There are many reasons to feint guys. You keep them guessing and occupy their brains while you work out what you're trying to do during the action. I'd say I'm one of the best in the world at it.

I think Whittaker tried to nullify that in the last fight, but I don't think it's gonna work this time because I'm a lot more patient and can do my feints and my looks, including some that no one's ever seen, and I'm going to implement them in this fight.

         

B/R: You like to train at various gyms in addition to City Kickboxing. What's one thing you've picked up from another coach outside your home gym?

Adesanya: One of the guys I train with is Dave Wood. He's a breath coach. Breathing is life, but a lot of people aren't really aware, and they breathe wrong, to be honest.

Working with him, he kind of opened my eyes. It's almost like taking a red pill when it comes to breathing. So I understand how to use my breath to my advantage rather than have it hinder.

        

B/R: In your light heavyweight bout with Jan Blachowicz, he had you on the ground for significant stretches. But against Marvin Vettori you stopped 10 takedown attempts and were able to get to your feet more quickly. Was that just a function of Blachowicz being larger, or was that something you worked on for Vettori?

Adesanya: I've always had strong takedown defense. Jan was just a light heavyweight. He was a much bigger guy. He also took advantage of certain key moments where I was overeager, and he got the takedowns off of those.

Like at one point when I hurt him, I rushed in and was overeager to finish him. People may not have realized he was hurt, but he was. He made a really calculated chess move with the takedown, and it succeeded. Well done to him.

       

B/R: With you, Kamaru Usman and Francis Ngannou all owning UFC titles, this is a renaissance for African MMA and African-born fighters. How do you assess the state of African MMA and what does it mean to you to represent your birth nation of Nigeria on the world stage?

Adesanya: That's something I hold near and dear to myself, representing my nation and inspiring a whole generation of fighters. There always seems to be a nation cultivating its martial arts scene. For example, you have lots of fighters from Russia surging and doing well as a nation. But Africa is a continent, and you have a lot of people learning [MMA].

Give it five or six years and watch. Once people really get a grasp on it, then everyone is going to see. Because it's going to be over for everyone else.

        

This exchange was edited for length and clarity.

As it stands, Derrick Lewis is the knockout king, standing atop the UFC's history books with 13 knockout victories. But with four consecutive knockouts of his own, Tai Tuivasa is steadily gaining ground.

Tuivasa, 28, still has a ways to go before he gets on Lewis' level. But the Australian can change the narrative Saturday night when he faces slight favorite Lewis in the co-main event of UFC 271, going down in Lewis' hometown of Houston, Texas.

Tuivasa appears ready for the challenge. Fighting barely two months after knocking out Augusto Sakai in 26 seconds, a Tuivasa win would vault him deep into the division's top 10. And between two high-octane brawlers with a combined 19 knockouts in the UFC, the ending could be fast, furious and highlight-reel ready.

Tuivasa recently spoke to Bleacher Report in an exclusive interview. First, we discussed Lewis and UFC 271. Then we took a deep dive into Tuivasa's weird but infectious signature move: the shoey.

              

Bleacher Report: What do you expect will happen Saturday night? Fifteen minutes of hardcore grappling, right?

Tuivasa: (laughs) Yeah, it'll be a jiu-jitsu match pretty much.

I haven't really thought that far ahead. [Lewis] is the knockout king. Of course, I'll be in there trying to knock him out. If it comes, it comes, and that's always what I'm trying to achieve. But either way, I'm just trying to get my hand raised.

              

Are you concerned about the quick turnaround between December 11 and this Saturday?

It's actually been really good. I didn't mind a shorter camp (laughs). Obviously, a longer camp to prepare is always better, but I've been on a bit of a roll and I'm in good shape, so I don't think it's a problem.

         

Do you have a favorite knockout from your career?

Good question. Probably the Greg Hardy one, because he's kind of a d--head. Yeah, that was probably the most emotionally rewarding one.

             

Wow. Why don't you like Greg Hardy?

It's just the way he carries himself. You know, like a d--head.

           
 

You lost three straight a while back, culminating in a loss to Sergey Spivak in your native Australia. After that, you began your current win streak. Was there a personal reckoning after that Spivak loss?

I think I was just focused on things other than fighting. And it was showing. I was doing business things outside of the cage. I just wasn't 100 percent in on fighting, and this sport requires 100 percent. It requires dedication and sacrifice, and I think I was just going through some mental issues. Just everyday things, you know? I'm just a normal bloke. 

So I really just had to have a look at myself and change some things outside of the cage. But definitely those losses were a blessing and a curse all in one. But it's not how you get knocked down, it's how you get back up. So looking back, it was definitely good for me.

                

Now for the shoey portion of the program. What originally made you think that was, you know, something you wanted to do?

Shoeys have been around for a long time. It was something my friends in Australia and I would do when we were pissed [drunk].

After my fights, I would be thinking about getting drunk after the fight, and that was it. I started doing them in the arena. And it sort of became my thing.

         
 

The UFC's unlikely role model🍺

It may have started out as a party trick with his mates but Tai Tuivasa's post-win shoey celebration has grown a life of his own & helped provide him the platform to inspire kids "From the Area" of Western Sydney.

READ 📝: https://t.co/BTExT0CCOO pic.twitter.com/dyqwCR90Jg

— ESPN Australia & NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) February 9, 2022

Are you comfortable with that? Being 'The Shoey Guy'?

Hey, I'm fine with it. Like I said, I've been doing it for a long time. People like it, so, yeah.

               

What are the rules for a proper shoey? I've seen people spit in them, but sometimes people go with the no spit. What's the correct approach here?

Yeah, I don't mind if there's spit. I suppose there's different levels to it, depending on the person. But a normal shoey is just getting some beer into a shoe, chugging it down, and getting the party started.

I suppose I've seen some weird things. Sometimes weird things go in the shoe.

              

Such as?

I really don't think I want to say it. (laughs)

            

How many shoeys would you say you've done, just a ballpark estimate?

Oh man. It would be up there. I bet it would have a few zeroes behind it.

       

You seem to have a real connection with fans, and not just because you drink beer and bodily fluids out of their shoes. Is having that connection important to you? 

I love my fans. Without them, there is no us. I think one of the reasons why I get a lot of love is because I'm just a normal bloke. I get to do what I love for a living, and that's knockin' people out and gettin' pissed.

                  

What's the Tai Tuivasa hangover cure? What if you have training the next day?

Well, I don't drink during camp, so that's a good thing. But aside from that, I'd say just keep going. (laughs)

            

Bottom line: What do you expect on Saturday night?

It's gonna be fireworks. This is the knockout king himself, Derrick Lewis. But there's a new knockout king on the way. I want to be the new knockout king. I think it's my time. We're both fan favorites, so I think we'll put a show on for the fans.

              

This exchange was edited for length and clarity.

UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman underwent surgery Monday to address a damaged ligament in his hand.

Usman's manager, Ali Abdelaziz, confirmed as much to Marc Raimondi of ESPN and said the plan is for the fighter to return for UFC 276 in Las Vegas on July 2. Raimondi noted UFC President Dana White previously said Usman's next title defense could come against Leon Edwards.

Edwards earned the potential opportunity thanks to a win over Nate Diaz last June.

Usman sports a 20-1 record and is riding a 15-fight victory following November's win over Colby Covington at UFC 268. Anderson Silva holds the record for the most consecutive UFC wins at 16.

Usman defeated Covington via unanimous decision in New York by controlling the first two rounds and then finishing strong in the fifth. The challenger built some momentum in the middle portion of the fight and nearly completed a takedown but came up short.

It was the fifth title defense for Usman since he became welterweight champion in 2019.

The middleweight main event between Sean Strickland and Jack Hermansson wasn't the brawl it looked like on paper, but it still saw Strickland get a big split-decision win to close out UFC Vegas 47 on Saturday night.

The first round was an extended feeling-out process. Neither fighter really left a mark on the round, though Strickland's jab was the most pronounced weapon.

That jab continued to carry the fight for Strickland as the bout went to the second round. Tarzan began throwing more off it as Hermansson spent time chasing him. That was until Strickland landed a lunging right hand that put The Joker on the floor to end the round.

BIG DROP TO END THE ROUND! 😳

The #UFCVegas47 main event keeps rolling on @ESPNPlus. pic.twitter.com/Vzryv4MEbz

— UFC (@ufc) February 6, 2022

That moment of excitement turned out to be a blip in an otherwise uneventful fight. Strickland continued to play the stick-and-move game, while Hermansson tried to land overhand rights with his kicks that just couldn't find a home.

The Joker did put up a last-chance flurry of strikes in the fifth round as a last-ditch comeback attempt, but Strickland was able to handle it and ride out the decision victory.

There is nothing exciting about Strickland in there, but he’s great at rolling with shots, has sharp, crisp boxing, and can go for days.

It can turn into a labour watching him jab for five rounds, but he’s extremely effective. #UFCVegas47

— ESK (@spencerkyte) February 6, 2022

The biggest surprise came when the scorecards were read and a judge saw it for Hermansson.

A split decision here is truly indefensible. Strickland won that without any hint of controversy.

— Luke Thomas🏋️‍♀️ (@lthomasnews) February 6, 2022

Strickland's win streak now extends to six fights, with five of those coming after his move up to middleweight. This wasn't the most exciting foot to put forward if he wants a title shot soon, but there's no denying he has been effective.

Here's a look at the rest of the fight card and a closer look at the main card bouts from the Apex facility in Las Vegas.

     

Main Card

• Sean Strickland def. Jack Hermansson via split decision (49-46 x2, 47-48)
• Nick Maximov def. Punahele Soriano via split decision (28-29, 30-27, 29-28)
• Shavkat Rakhmonov def. Carlston Harris via first-round knockout (strikes) - 4:10
• Brendan Allen def. Sam Alvey via second-round submission (rear-naked choke) - 2:10
• Bryan Battle def. Tresean Gore via unanimous decision (29-28 x3)
• Julian Erosa def. Steven Peterson via split decision (28-29, 29-28 x2)

Prelims

• John Castaneda def. Miles Johns via third-round submission (arm-triangle choke) - 1:38
• Hakeem Dawodu def. Mike Trizano via unanimous decision (30-27 x3)
• Chidi Njokuani def. Marc-Andre Barriault via first-round KO - 0:16
• Alexis Davis def. Julija Stoliarenko via unanimous decision (29-27 x2, 30-27)
• Jailton Almeida def. Danilo Marques via first-round TKO (strikes) - 2:57
• Philip Rowe def. Jason Witt via second-round TKO - 2:15
• Malcolm Gordon def. Denys Bondar via first-round submission (injury) - 1:22

     

Nick Maximov def. Punahele Soriano

To watch Nick Maximov fight, it would be hard to guess he comes from the Nick Diaz Academy. While the Diaz brothers are known for their high-volume striking, Maximov utilized a wrestling-heavy attack to get a split-decision win over Punahele Soriano.

Maximov went 11-of-16 on takedown attempts with nearly nine minutes of control time, per ESPN FightCenter.

The problem is that Maximov did very little with his advantageous positions on the ground. Soriano was able to mount similar offense despite spending much of his time trying to peel Maximov off him.

Regardless of entertainment value, Maximov got the nod and is now 8-0 with two wins in the UFC.

He's talented but will need to bring more damage if he has a future as a contender in the middleweight division.

     

Shavkat Rakhmonov def. Carlston Harris

The hype train was right on time with Shavkat Rakhmonov against Carlston Harris. The Kazakhstani fighter scored his first knockout in the UFC with a beautiful spinning kick to the head.

Harris had earned two finishes to start his UFC run, but it was clear once the two locked horns that Rakhmonov was on a different level. He was getting the better of the striking, but the spinning kick brought the fight to an early end.

THE HYPE TRAIN ROLLS ON 🚂

🇰🇿 Shavkat Rakhmonov adds ANOTHER finish on his resume! #UFCVegas47 pic.twitter.com/yxlhRVFApo

— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) February 6, 2022

Rakhmonov has been a runaway train since coming into the UFC. He is a perfect 15-0 in his career with three of those wins coming in the biggest organization. His first two UFC fights were submission wins over Alex Oliveira and Michel Prazeres.

Rakhmonov continues to look like the real deal. With a championship in the M-1 promotion and the quick success he's found in the UFC, there's no reason to believe that he won't be getting a ranked opponent soon enough.

     

Brendan Allen def. Sam Alvey

Apparently, it doesn't take much preparation to dispatch Sam Alvey. Brendan Allen took a fight against the Smile'n one on just five days' notice and was still able to get the submission finish in the second round.

Alvey actually appeared to win the first round. Allen was willing to turn the fight into a slugfest, and the veteran had his moments.

However, that game turned out to be too dangerous for Alvey. Allen scored a knockdown late in the first, and it was a harbinger of things to come.

ALL IN w/ the strong first round @BrendanAllenMMA#UFCVegas47 live on @ESPNPlus pic.twitter.com/3WqYm0n4cU

— UFC (@ufc) February 6, 2022

Allen once again floored Alvey in the second round, and this time, he had enough opportunity to sink in the rear-naked choke that drew the tap.

Because of the late notice, Allen fought this fight in the light heavyweight division. After dropping his last fight at middleweight, he may want to consider exploring life as a 205-pounder. Alvey, on the other hand, is now winless in his last eight fights.

     

Bryan Battle def. Tresean Gore

There's no disputing it now, Bryan Battle is an Ultimate Fighter champion.

Battle was supposed to meet Tresean Gore in The Ultimate Fighter 29 finale back in February 2021. However, Gore was forced to pull out of the fight because of injury. Battle went on to beat replacement Gilbert Urbina to win the trophy.

So it was a significant gesture when Battle brought the trophy to hold it after beating Gore by unanimous decision.

Battle utilized a high-volume attack from distance to keep Gore off balance. He established an early lead with his leg kicks and had his opponent frustrated between rounds.

One round down and the bad blood is REAL 😳 #UFCVegas47 pic.twitter.com/zYO0dNIZfo

— UFC (@ufc) February 6, 2022

Gore landed some clean shots in the second round, but Battle was able to rebound in the third and final frame. His ability to control the fight with his kicks was too much for Gore to overcome.

     

Julian Erosa def. Steven Peterson

Julian Erosa and Steven Peterson kicked off the main card with a blood-and-guts fight that ended with Erosa getting his hand raised by split decision.

Both fighters threw caution to the wind and went for the knockout throughout the fight. The matchup was characterized by exchanges like this one where Erosa scored a knockdown with a spinning strike.

THIS FIGHT 🤯 #UFCVegas47 pic.twitter.com/3FlcmhgUPx

— UFC (@ufc) February 6, 2022

Unofficially, the two combined for 243 significant strikes with Peterson actually holding a one-strike advantage, per Jason Floyd of The MMA Report.

The win is the latest step in Erosa's successful second stint with the UFC. He has now won four of his last five after suffering a three-fight losing streak in 2018-2019 and getting cut.