Emotional Adesanya retains UFC title
Israel Adesanya placed his UFC middleweight belt on the canvas and bowed in front of it to acknowledge the tragic loss of City Kickboxing team-mate Fau Vake.
Moments earlier, Adesanya made an emotional tribute to Vake, dedicating his latest victory to him and declaring: ‘‘I love you, man.’’
Despite the obvious distractions during his camp, Adesanya defended his belt at UFC 263 in Arizona yesterday with a dominant unanimous decision (50-45 on all three cards) over Marvin Vettori.
Vake, who had dreams of fighting in the UFC, was a hugely promising mixed martial arts fighter and father to a three-yearold daughter. He died last month, at just 25, due to injuries suffered after an alleged attack while waiting for a taxi in central Auckland.
Adesanya spoke at Vake’s funeral and was a pallbearer. Vake was a key member of the City Kickboxing team who prepared Adesanya during his camps.
‘‘Even in his last sparring with me, he whooped my a..., so I have to give you credit Fau,’’ Adesanya said in his post-fight interview.
Adesanya, in his first fight back at middleweight following the first loss of his MMA career to Jan Blachowicz when challenging for the UFC’s light heavyweight belt in an unsuccessful bid to become a double champion, controlled Vettori for four of the five rounds.
The three judges also scored the much closer opening round to the Kiwi champion.
Adesanya’s win has set the stage for a rematch with Robert Whittaker, with Adesanya reiterating his desire to hold it in New Zealand.
Adesanya and Vettori fought to a split decision victory in the City Kickboxing fighter’s favour back in April, 2018, but the fiveround rematch was much more one-sided.
Since their first dance, Adesanya has gone on to become the undisputed middleweight champion and has clearly evolved to a much more superior fighter than the one Vettori last fought.
Vettori, who was ranked No 3 before the fight, made a fast start in the opening round, controlling the centre of the octagon before taking Adesanya down.
But the Nigeria-born Adesanya was able to slip free, stand up, and land several significant strikes, including to the right calf and knee of the tough Italian.
Adesanya took control in round two with more significant lower leg kicks to the right knee of Vettori and he was again able to escape twice as Vettori attempted to grapple him to the fence and took control with his usual precision striking.
Vettori started round three with a takedown and then took Adesanya’s back but in a demoralising blow, Adesanya was able to stand and take control of the round as Vettori fatigued and appeared to start struggling to put weight on his right leg.
It was a case of rinse and repeat in the final two rounds as Vettori tried his heart out but didn’t have the class, speed or power to dethrone the champion.