UFC fighter cautions Israel Adesanya against utterances

  Three-time UFC title challenger Chael Sonnen believes Israel Adesanya lost his mind during a racially-charged face-off with his next opponent, Dricus Du Plessis on Saturday night.

‘Stillknocks’ shocked fans watching around the world when he delivered a highlight-reel-worthy second-round TKO against former titleholder Robert Whittaker at UFC 290. Scoring himself an opportunity at the middleweight world title, Dricus Du Plessis was greeted inside the Octagon shortly following his victory by the division’s reigning king, Israel Adesanya. What ensued was an intense and downright awkward confrontation that saw ‘The Last Stylebender’ repeatedly use the N-world while addressing the South African standout.

Sharing his thoughts on the now-viral staredown, Chael Sonnen believes Adesanya completely lost his mind while confronting the man that questioned his African heritage.

“[Adesanya] lost his mind tonight in front of you and it was real and it didn’t have anything to do with money and it did not have anything to do with fame,” Sonnen said on his YouTube channel. “He lost his mind tonight on a poor up-and-comer, who does not have a beautiful contract, who is not world-known, who is not a face that is going to go down as an icon of his industry. The big man picked on the little man and he couldn’t control himself. It was real. And it was real because ‘Izzy’ hasn’t let that other stuff in. He hasn’t let those distractions in. He’s that same hungry guy.

“For ‘Izzy,’ it’s still about competition. It’s a very interesting mindset that takes extreme discipline. I have never seen anybody come through this sport that has controlled their career more than Israel Adesanya. Nobody has called their shot and I do mean nobody.”