Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya feels like the “old dog” heading into his fight against Nassourdine Imavov this Saturday in Saudi Arabia—his first non-title bout since defeating Anderson Silva at UFC 234.
Adesanya headlines UFC Saudi Arabia, taking on Imavov in a pivotal middleweight contest. The Nigerian-born fighter enters as a -164 favourite, while the Frenchman is a +128 underdog on FanDuel.
“I said gatekeeper as a joke earlier on. Yeah, I feel like the guy, the old dog, then there’s the young guys coming up, trying to prove themselves. So it’s my job to send them back down and let them know, still here,” Adesanya said during Wednesday’s media day.
Read Also: Canadian rapper Drake loses N715m bet on Israel Adesanya fight
Despite acknowledging his veteran status, Adesanya isn’t placing unnecessary pressure on himself. Coming off back-to-back losses to Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis, the 35-year-old remains unfazed about his legacy.
“I feel, honestly—God forbid—if I lose my next ten fights, it wouldn’t affect my legacy. I put pressure on myself, don’t get me wrong. When it’s time, I’ll put pressure on myself. If he [Imavov] doesn’t feel the pressure, good for him, but he’ll find out.”
That said, Adesanya admitted this fight is significant for him on a personal level.
“This is important for me. Not for anyone else. I’m doing this to prove to myself that I’m still evolving in this game, I’m still getting better, and I’m still very dangerous. So yeah, I’m doing this one for me.”
While currently out of the middleweight title picture—at least for now, with Du Plessis and Strickland set to fight later this month—Adesanya remains committed to the division.
“I’ve always said [light heavyweight] was a side mission. Middleweight’s my weight class,” he stated. “It’s kind of boring without me. It’s time to get back in there and make it fun again.”
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
