UFC middleweight king Israel Adesanya had spoken out to the media ahead of his fight against Paulo Costa at UFC 253. The City Kickboxing standout touched upon several aspects of the aforementioned fight and also opined on the current MMA landscape. Chiefly, Adesanya chimed in on the undisputed and undefeated Lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov.

‘The Eagle’ is one of the most recognizable fighters in the entire sport of MMA as it stands today. He has gained notoriety due to the lore and legend that he has successfully carried over into his fight career. Nurmagomedov has displayed a dominance unlike anyone before him inside the cage.

Israel Adesanya: “I wasn’t a fan of his artistry at first”

‘The Last Stylebender‘ revealed an interesting take that took fight fans by surprise. The Nigerian born champion touched on the fact that he wasn’t too impressed with Khabib upon first seeing him. Moreover, this view is not what is generally part and parcel with the Dagestani mauler.

“Some people, like Khabib, I wasn’t a fan of his artistry at first. But then over time, slowly watching the way he’s worked his opponents, over time I’ve kinda become a bit of a fan of his artistry. If I say that about anyone doesn’t mean…I don’t like them and just like that people say they don’t like me. Like what? Eh.”

Israel expressed his views on how fans view certain fighters. Both Israel, and Khabib are undefeated fighters and an unblemished record can attract detractors and nay-sayers. ‘Izzy‘ briefly broached the subject and said that he would often receive unwarranted disdain.

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Regardless of their media perception by fans, both the aforementioned fighters are true standout performers. When the cage door closes, they have dispatched their opponents with ease and style. Not to mention, staying undefeated at the highest level is no mean task.

Israel Adesanya and Khabib Nurmagomedov will compete at UFC 253 and UFC 254 respectively on Fight Island. The premier MMA organization returns to Abu Dhabi to kick off yet another stint on Yas Island with the former event on September 26.

Also Watch: Israel Adesanya details run-in with Paulo Costa- UFC 253 pre-fight interview