[ad_1]
UFC President Dana White almost ran out of superlatives when describing the spectacular performance of Kiwi fighter Israel Adesanya in New York on Sunday (New Zealand time).
The calculated arrival of Derek Brunson in the first round by Adesanya was one of the highlights of an event-rich map at Madison Square Garden, spiritual home of combat sports.
So white was so impressed that he awarded him another "Performance of the Night" bonus, putting $ 50,000 more (NZD $ 75,110) in the 29-year-old's pocket.
It was worth every penny for what White called his "escape" performance.
"It's somebody who's been on the rise for a minute here, but I really feel that tonight was his first big test," White said at the conference. post-fight press. "His opponent hits like a truck and fights very well."
"But Madison Square Garden, opening the show, did he deliver?
"Many people, including myself, think this kid is the future – and he's out to mark him tonight."
White was adamant that he had found something special when they signed it at the UFC end of 2017 and the series of four undefeated victories of Adesanya in 2018 n & # 39; 39, only strengthened this conviction.
"As soon as I saw this kid, I told myself" shit, it's really good – I like it. "Then you hear him talking, I like that too, that's the whole package.
"I can not literally stay here and tell you enough good things about this kid, he's put his mark tonight, he finished Derek Brunson tonight, it's a big deal."
Despite these rave reviews, the prospect of a title match in his next fight seems unlikely. White is categorical: they already have an opponent on Alesanya, which he would not reveal.
It has also been suggested that he could play a supportive role in case of injury if champion Robert Whittaker or Kelvin Gastelum were forced to withdraw from their February fight at UFC 234 in Melbourne.
White is aware of pushing him too far, too fast.
"He's very ambitious, I'd like him to squeeze the brakes a bit, this guy wants to beat everybody now, and he wants to fight every month."
"If you want to become a big star, keep fighting, if you are a young man healthy enough to fight all the time, I absolutely recommend it.
"But what you do not want to do is come play a good performance and then disappear, because people forget very quickly.
"But I like him a lot, really, but I do not want to move him as fast as he wants to be moved so that we can get together and find a happy medium."
Adesanya's revelation that he might need surgery for a wounded knee who has almost seen him cancel his fight against Brunson, casts further doubt on his potential for a quick turnaround.
"Latest news – I almost got out of this fight," admitted Adesanya. "I was limping, my knee was so inflamed.
"Shout to my father, he advised me to take a week off." Coach Eugene [Bareman] agree and said we would reevaluate later.
"Three days and my knee was better, then I got a cortisone injection, then I went back to the gym and started killing him, but I could be operated on."
This did not prevent him from pleading his case as the main contender for the next shot at the belt.
"We need something fresh, something logical – a transtasmanian rivalry," said Adesanya, referring to the match against Whittaker.
"F ** k rankings, all that crap does not make sense.What makes sense is what people want to see, and people want to see me.
"They do not want to see the same old dance, the same old shit, the same old guys who were lucky after luck.
"It was said to me today that I am the only guy who has had four fights in the UFC and who has won them all in 2018. It's an unblocked achievement.
"He has his ideas, but I know Dana can be persuaded."
Source link
