“I Mean if My Son Did That…”- Israel Adesanya Comes Clean on Controversial “Petty” Moment of Him Mocking Alex Pereira’s Son Post-KO Win at UFC 287

The “Stylebender” speaks again! Ever since his victory over Alex Pereira, Israel Adesanya has made it clear that he means business. Aside from his magnetic personality – ‘Izzy’ has always stood up for himself and what he feels is right. This may well be the reason behind his huge fanbase.

As the middleweight champion, anything he picks or says becomes the talk of the town. In the most recent chapter of his antics, his iconic ‘three arrow celebration’ after the UFC 287 win became a hot topic – especially since the champ openly mocked Pereira’s son. But many fans still scratch their heads trying to figure out the correlation between the celebration and its true motives. Now, Izzy has added to the frenzy around the feud, opening up about his take on the incident.

Settling an old score: Adesanya’s redemption against Pereira at UFC 287

Before their showdown at UFC 287, Adesanya had already faced Pereira three times, including a knockout loss back in 2017. Critics, even Pereira himself, questioned Adesanya’s decision to pursue an immediate rematch after just losing his middleweight title at UFC 281.

Nevertheless, the Kiwi crafted a remarkable tale of redemption, reclaiming his middleweight title with a second-round knockout triumph over Pereira. In a chilling replication of Pereira’s celebration, the Kiwi fighter pointed three arrows at “Poatan.”

READ MORE: “It Wasn’t Really About the Punches”: 2 Months After Settling the Score Against Alex Pereira, Israel Adesanya Recalls the Final Moments of the Fight at UFC 287

Following his victory at UFC 287, Adesanya confronted Pereira’s son, Alessandro. Why? Well, the 15-year-old had mocked his previous knockout defeat inside the ring, and Izzy took it personally. Determined to give him a taste of his own medicine, Adesanya fearlessly enacted the iconic ‘drop-dead’ celebration, mocking Pereira’s son and leaving him in tears.

Responding, not reacting: Adesanya’s calculated approach to controversy

In a recent interview with renowned comic Andrew Schulz, Izzy candidly discussed his ongoing rivalry with Alex Pereira and the surprising twist involving Pereira’s son. Schulz questioned Adesanya about the instant in the fight when he noticed Pereira’s son. Adesanya retorted, saying,

“That’s just iconic – I didn’t even hesitate. Literally, it’s just like visualization man, yeah I’ve been here in my brain and it just happened…”

The comic then asked if there was any relevance to the three arrows he gestured, alluding to Pereira’s three victories over him. Adesanya was quick to dismiss the notion, adding that it was not a premeditated decision.

He recalled the heightened awareness he felt upon entering the octagon, where he could see every detail —

“So hyper-aware – I can see literally the nosebleeds, I can see where Trump was, Mike Tyson, Kid Rock, and Dana White and I knew where his family was and then straight away I was like – ‘Where’s that little…'”

Reflecting on the incident, Adesanya shared his perspective as a parent, stating, “Yeah, I mean – if my son did that to someone I got – I knocked out, I would just be like – “What do you – what are you doing? Come on, man,” – like I would make him apologize…”

Labeling himself as “petty,” Izzy admitted to taking the gesture personally. However, he emphasized his approach of not reacting but rather responding, saying –

“I took that personally – yeah very personally, so I’d let him know – I don’t react, I respond. I take my time and when I respond, the world knows.”

While Izzy’s motives behind the mockery are somewhat clear to fans now, is this the whole truth? Or are fans in for another surprise in this rivalry saga? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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