‘Next Mcgregor’ Adesanya wants to be UFC’S G.O.A.T.
LOS ANGELES: Israel Adesanya has believed all along that becoming the greatest mixed martial artist of all time is his destiny.
On Saturday, at the UFC 259 event in Las Vegas, the Nigerian-born New Zealander gets the opportunity to take another step towards that goal when he challenges Poland’s Jan Blachowicz for the UFC’S light heavyweight title.
“What I have always predicted to do in this game is change the game, change history,” Adesanya said on Friday.
“I came in here just over three years ago and look what I have done so far. And I have a long way to go.”
Adesanya’s rise to the top has captured the imagination of a sport looking for a new generation of heroes, with the careers of stars such as Ireland’s former featherweight and lightweight champion Conor Mcgregor seemingly on the wane.
“When it’s all said and done, they’ll say that guy Issy, he’s the one. He’s the G.O.A.T.,” he said in the build-up to Saturday’s fight.
Adesanya was quick to reply when asked Friday if he saw himself taking up Mcgregor’s role as the sport’s standard-bearer.
“It’s inevitable,” Adesanya. “I just have to get used to it. I just have to accept it and not hide from the role that I am in, not hide from the platform that I’m on.”
The 31-year-old Adesanya’s overall record in MMA now stands at 20-0, boosted by a 9-0 run in the UFC that has already seen him claim the middleweight crown. On Friday, Adesanya promised plenty more of the same against the 38-year-old Blachowicz (27-8), known mostly for his power-punching. Win this bout and Adesyana will become just the fifth double champion the UFC has seen.
UFC 259 will feature two other world title bouts on its 15-fight card. Brazilian Amanda Nunes (204) -- considered the greatest female fighter the sport has seen -- defends her featherweight title against a massive underdog in Megan Anderson (11-4) of Australia.
The 32-year-old Nunes also holds the UFC’S bantamweight belt and brings an 11-0 run to Las Vegas, stretching back to 2014, against the 31-yearold Anderson.
Beforethatcomesthe28-year-oldrussianbrawler Petr Yan (15-1) defending his bantamweight title against American Aljamain Sterling (19-3), 31 years old and ranked number one behind the champ.