Could Israel Adesanya become UFC’s next transcendent superstar?

Majaagun Oyinkansola,

Lagos. 

Photo credit: Twitter 

In a story that reads like it was plucked from one of his beloved comic books, undefeated UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya looks destined to transcend the sport.

Earlier this month, he joined global football star Neymar in signing a deal with sportswear company Puma. He graces the cover of the UFC's latest video game, and his image peers down from international billboards in regions the UFC's substantial media arm struggles to touch.

This weekend - at UFC 253 in Abu Dhabi - the man known as 'The Last Stylebender' steps into the octagon with Paulo Costa, who many believe is the 31-year-old's toughest challenge to date.

Should he beat the Brazilian, as he has his previous 19 opponents, he will continue his transition from the mixed martial arts bubble to the broader cultural consciousness.

'He's an expert on fashion, anime and dancing'

Adesanya was born in Nigeria and showed no immediate flair for sport at the age of 10 when his family relocated to New Zealand. Instead, he immersed himself in comic books, anime and breakdancing.

photo credit: Google 

And City Kickboxing head coach Eugene Bareman - considered one of the greatest minds in MMA - believes his student's introspection in his younger years is what allows him to stand out.

"New Zealand has a massive sporting culture, especially when it comes to team sports," Bareman tells BBC Sport. "Rugby in particular is ingrained in our culture - almost every kid plays it at some stage.

"Israel gravitated towards different things - fashion, anime, dancing - and is an expert on those subjects. The people who know about these things appreciate that he has a lot of knowledge in those areas."

Adesanya showed his love of dancing - and ease with the big occasion - before his title unification bout with Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 in Melbourne. He exploded into an elaborate walk-out dance routine in front of 60,000 people.

Members of the media, whose view was obscured by the octagon, could be seen feverishly scrolling through their smartphones to find footage of the performance, which would go on to generate millions of views worldwide.

"The fact that he makes more money than all of the other guys, it's never come up. Not even once. He's never been five minutes late and even been close to saying: 'I pay you hundreds of thousands of dollars, so I'm allowed to be five minutes late.' He never would.

photo credit: Google 

"We know what got us here and we're not willing to sacrifice that. Once that happens, we both know that everything will change."

As he prepares to meet fellow undefeated knockout artist Costa, Adesanya is laser-focused.

After a jovial jive against Whittaker to claim the undisputed title, his first defence against Cuban Yoel Romero was likened to a waltz.

That fight, he says, was an opportunity to transcend MMA.

"It had the big build-up on ESPN and all that kind of stuff," Adesanya says.

"I feel like I needed a valley in my story and that was my valley. Now it's time to rise again.

"With the new Puma deal and everything that's going on, this fight will shoot me into the next stratosphere."

 

source : BBC News