Israel Adesanya: “I Want To Do Something Spectacular”

Greatness is more than just a numbers game, however, and “The Last Stylebender” has an elegance and sophistication of striking not seen before in MMA. And the 32-year-old assures us his unique skills will be on full display in his bout against Jared Cannonier at UFC 276.

“I want to do something spectacular,” states the Nigerian-born Kiwi. “I’m headlining – I’m not going to disappoint. Expect the unexpected. You’re going to see me at my best. I want to show off. I don’t care about wins or losses anymore. I don’t care about belts. It’s not about money anymore. I know when I show off and have fun that I’m the best in the world.”

Order UFC 276: Adesanya vs Cannonier

Adesanya’s journey to the top started many years ago when, as he puts it, “fighting found him.” After training in Muay Thai and watching Anderson Silva in action at UFC 90, he believed he could also be destined for greatness if he put his mind to it.

Now, following a successful kickboxing career and sporting an MMA record of 22-1, the New Zealand icon has gone a long way towards proving his point. During the quieter moments, his achievements surprise even himself. Like recently, when he decided to check message requests on Instagram and saw he’d been contacted by some of the most famous folks on the planet.

“I’m surprised at some of the people who know who I am,” says Adesanya. “Actors, athletes, actresses. There’s all these blue ticks. I get surprised at the status I’m at right now. [But] I’m not done yet. Nobody can tell me I can’t do s**t. If I want to make something happen, I manifest it. I know the power I have within me.”

Adesanya is quick to praise those who’ve helped him realize his dream. His parents, while initially unsure of his decision to become a fighter, have always supported him no matter what. Then there’s the team at City Kickboxing – in particular, Eugene Bareman.

Bareman, a former fighter himself, founded the Auckland gym in 2007 with Doug Viney, and together they’ve made it one of the most respected in the sport. Training some of the best combat athletes on the planet as it does, the modest facility on an industrial estate is no longer a secret.

“Eugene is the guy who helped me with my style,” explains Adesanya. “He never made me fight like him. He never made kick like him or jab like him. He just watched what I did and worked on what I did well. He gave me core principles in fighting that are ingrained in my muscle memory to this day. He’s instrumental.

“I can jab people from weird angles. He’s taught me to catch people off rhythm and beat. It’s details. And feinting, too. We changed the game with feinting. We elevated the game. People are trying to copy what we do. Eugene made that happen. He’s a wealth of knowledge. And he’s gathered [other] people with knowledge.”

UFC 276 FREE FIGHTS: Max Holloway vs Yair Rodriguez | Israel Adesanya vs Robert Whittaker 2 | Alexander Volkanovski vs Max Holloway 2 | Jared Cannonier vs Derek Brunson | Alexander Volkanovski vs Korean Zombie

The champ likes to give back to those around him when he can, though he usually doesn’t talk about it. For his title defense against Cannonier at UFC 276, he’s paying for flights and accommodation for a group of young fighters from City Kickboxing to attend the event in Las Vegas.

In fact, hard-hitting American Cannonier is one of the only top-ranked middleweights Adesanya hasn’t faced. He’s beaten former champion Robert Whittaker (twice), Marvin Vettori (twice), Paulo Costa and Derek Brunson. A new dance partner at 185 is a prospect he relishes.

Order UFC 276: Adesanya vs Cannonier

“New blood – I like that,” says Adesanya. “That’s what I’m here to do. Fight all of the guys in my era, in my division. Clean them all out. When it’s all said and done, they will say, ‘He never ducked anyone, went up in weight and challenged. Never hid from anyone. He’s the best.’”