UFC 305: Exclusive interview with Israel Adesanya

MMA legend and Stake Brand Ambassador, Israel Adesanya will challenge for the UFC Middleweight Championship on Saturday 17th August, and we caught up with the Last Stylebender as he looks to add to his legacy and reclaim the UFC belt.

Discover what he had to say in the lead up to the UFC 305 event in this exclusive interview with us here at Stake.com. For more information about betting on UFC and MMA, check out our expert UFC picks and predictions, or read up on how to bet on UFC on our leading online sportsbook.

Q: You seem to have a renewed energy coming into this fight. How important do you think this break has been for you?

A: This is the longest layoff in my whole fighting career. I kind of got forced into taking a break because my body needed it. Not because of the fights, but the training camps. My mind, body and spirit needed it, and I’m glad I got the break I needed and reset myself, reaffirm myself. Let’s go!

Q:The last time you were a contender, you delivered one of the greatest KOs in UFC history. Does it feel different preparing to challenge the belt, rather than defend it?

A: It’s not so much about the belt. For me it’s when people doubt my skills after what I’ve done in this game and the classics that I’ve made. The main driving force is for me proving to myself that I am still me, I am still Israel Adesanya, and what drives me is proving me, to me.

Q: Do you think that Dricus’ style provides the opportunity for a highlight reel finish?

A: Definitely. He is a guy who fights the way he fights, but he gets a lot of success, but it leaves him very vulnerable. When you fight a guy who is very precise and lethal like me, come on…

The highlights will always be there. The way I fight will always produce highlights, and those are nice bonuses, but I don't look for them, they just show up.

Q: We’ve seen Dricus strike with Darren Till, Robert Whittaker and Sean Strickland. Do you think he will try and strike with you?

A: I think he’s going to shoot straight away. I doubt he’ll want to strike with me for too long. This is something that people always say, but I’ve shown before that I can wrestle too. It might not be how everyone else wrestles, but I can wrestle too, that’s why I ended up becoming Champion of the World.

Q: Your BJJ coach Craig Jones will be competing next week at his own event, the CJI. What are your thoughts on the event?

A: I love it. Craig is my guy and even before this thing happened he told me that he got the investment and was going to run it the same week as ADCC. If I wasn’t fighting I would definitely be there.

I love to see a guy who keeps it real and is being himself get the credit. Me and him get along and understand each other.

Q: You have a very close knit team at City Kickboxing. After losing the belt last time out, how important was that friendship group and teammates to help you move on from that?

A: It is everything you need. I’m a friendly guy and a lot of the people I connect with feel like they’ve known me for years, but my team are the ones who will always be around me because they understand me. I’ve been here before, I’ve lost before and I know how things change, so for me, the defeat didn’t shake me. You watch this, in 10 days, I’m going to smoke this fool. I’ve been here before, but I’ll play the game a little differently this time.

Q: You’re obviously known for being one of the best strikers in UFC history, but before anything, you’re a mixed martial artist. When it comes to training, do you prefer striking, wrestling or BJJ?

A: I love everything, but it depends on the specifics. Sometimes when we’re grappling I learn something and I’m like, oh yes I want to get in on this! With the striking, it’s super repetitive, but you have to do it and you do it like you love it because you can never train the fundamentals too much. I’m always excited to learn and get in the cage and get it on.