Israel Adesanya headlined his first ever PPV of his career albeit in less than ideal circumstances as he stepped up to fight Anderson Silva in the main event of UFC 234 in Melbourne.
Described as a “fight out of a Kung Fu movie” by Dana White, the UFC President rewarded Silva and Adesanya as the fight of the night. White would go on to speak very highly about Adesanya and his performance against the legend Anderson Silva in the post-fight press conference.
“The kids got it,” White said.
“Not only is he talented in the Octagon, he’s talented outside of it too, his interviews are exciting, he’s an interesting guy, he’s fun to watch and I think he’s got a really bright future here.”
“Israel went in with a sold-out house tonight with a lot of pressure on him, Anderson is 43 years old, he was supposed to go in and beat Anderson, those are the kind of positions you’re in you’ve got all the pressure on you.”
Adesanya was as much as a 7-1 favorite with some oddsmakers, something White felt was very unfair for a fighter with the history of Silva.
“I don’t know how people can’t give Anderson the credit he deserves,” White said.
“He’s a crafty veteran with knockout power and if it goes to the ground he’s a black belt in jiu-jitsu. People are nuts counting him out”.
The win over Silva leaves Adesanya undefeated now at 16-0. A potential title fight could be next or another matchup against a top contender. With the backing of UFC President Dana White, anything is possible for the Adesanya.
Israel Adesanya defeats Anderson Silva in UFC 234 main event
