As announced by Dana White on Saturday, Israel Adesanya has decided to jump up to light heavyweight and face recently-crowned champion Jan Blachowicz. According to White, it was Adesanya’s desire to stay busy since Robert Whittaker isn’t willing to step up just yet.
But as “The Last Stylebender” told Submission Radio in a recent interview, there is another big reason. Unsurprisingly, it involves his current rival Jon Jones.
“It’s just a big f—k you to him, just to be like, I did something you couldn’t,” Adesanya said. “I mean, he cleared the division of the light heavyweight twice over and then started fighting recycled middleweights.
“So, don’t come at me talking about ‘move up in weight and fight’ when you can’t even do the same thing after over 10 years in the company. So, I’m actually about to do it. It’s a good fight for me to do it with.”
Becoming the UFC’s fifth “champ-champ” would already be a massive accomplishment in itself. Adesanya, however, isn’t stopping there.
“It’s crazy how everything’s just set up, man,” he said. “[When] I take this belt from Jan, if for whatever reason Jones actually moves up and fights at heavyweight, like, imagine if he got the belt somehow, by some freak of nature, and I’m like, ‘F—k you, I’m going to heavyweight then.’ Three belts at the same time.”
The heat between the two fighters has been on high throughout this entire time. For Adesanya, jealousy on Jones’ part could be the reason.
“It’s fun and games, anyway. We’re gonna fight,” he said. “Right now I’m focused on Jan, that’s my main thing. I don’t like dealing with f—king f—kbois like that anyway, cause he’s a clout trout. F—king clout trout. F—ken big d—k-s—king-lip clout trout. That’s what he is.
“Cause he sees what’s happening with me. And I’ve said this for so long, people can’t fathom why he’d be jealous of me, so they just think I’m lying. But I’m like, no, I can read it, it’s envy. It’s so easy to see when you know. If you know, you know.”
The UFC hasn’t finalized the date and venue for Blachowicz vs. Adesanya.
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