UFC 271: Israel Adesanya sledges Rob Whittaker, defends Joe Rogan in fun Houston press conference

Israel Adesanya’s crazy expensive Rob Whittaker sledge, shoeys, staredowns and Joe Rogan. The UFC 271 press conference had it all. Read all the latest and watch the video.

Israel Adesanya says Rob Whittaker will never get over the afternoon he got kayoed before almost 60,000 fans – which is why he now wears an oversized gold necklace marking the occasion.

Already famed for having an A-grade troll game, Adesanya fronted the UFC 271 press conference here in Houston, Texas on Thursday dripping in a chunk of jewellery from which hung an NFT of their 2019 title blockbuster.

Specifically, the moment Adesanya iced Bobby Knuckles.

“And it’s on replay,” the champ said, motioning towards a tiny video of that left hook which sent Whittaker stumbling right out of his gold strap.

“Shows the moment over, and over, and over, and over, and over again.”

Which is a decent sledge, right?

Apparently, how we can also now expect athletes to trash talk in 2022.

Which isn’t to say Whittaker seemed troubled though.

Anything but.

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Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker face off during the UFC 271 press conference in Houston, Texas. Picture: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

Same as he did, little, but lean back in his chair, smiling – think a father watching his playful child – when Adesanya opened the show insisting he still lived “rent free” in the head of his Trans Tasman rival.

“When you’ve beaten them, you’re in their head,” the New Zealander said.

“And I was in their already.

“But then the way I did it last time, you can’t get over that.

“So I still have properties in there – rent free.”

To which, the Sydneysider did ... nothing.

Asked later about the necklace, Whittaker shrugged: “He beat me the first time, so he’s got bragging rights.

“What can I do?

“If I won the first time I’d be stomping around as well.

“It’s a cool necklace.”

Yet still not so cool as Whittaker remained throughout.

Indeed, while Adesanya has risen up to become one of the best talkers anywhere in combat sports, on this afternoon his words only washed off a rival who, by the stare downs, even offered out his hand.

Which the champ accepted.

All of which gave things a wonderfully Australian vibe.

Not only Whittaker’s laidback charm, or Mt Druitt’s Tai Tuivasa promising to “take the head” of Derrick Lewis, but UFC president Dana White almost drinking a shoey.

Truly, the yanks cannot get enough of Shoeyvasa.

Adesanya leapt to the defence of Joe Rogan. Picture: Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

So much so, the man with Australia’s heaviest hands even provided all four fighters on the podium, and White, his trademarked skolling invention shaped like a shoe.

“Comes out next week,” he told the crowd.

Which then prompted journalists in attendance to go on a run of Shoey questions, including asking both headliners if they would have one with a win?

“First of all, my mum is here and she’s a nurse,” Adesanya said. “She’s warned me about the dangers of putting somebody else’s bacteria in your mouth.

“That’s a big no no.”

But Whittaker?

“Sober, zero,” he started, before then grinning, “buuuuut …”

Elsewhere, Adesanya also leapt to the defence of UFC commentator and podcaster Joe Rogan, who has been called out recently for not only his Covid takes, but a widely-circulated video highlighting his n-word use on The Joe Rogan Experience.

“I’m black, I can take this one,” Adesanya shouted when a journalist initially asked White for comment.

“There are a lot of c***s in this game, a lot of snakes.

“But I’ve been in this fight game since 2008 and Joe Rogan is one of the nicest, coolest mother****ers I’ve had the pleasure of working with.

“So f*** the noise makers.

“That’s my n***** Joe Rogan, f** the noise.”

Yes, f*** the noise.

Just as Bobby Knuckles has all week.

Originally published as UFC 271: Israel Adesanya sledges Rob Whittaker, defends Joe Rogan in fun Houston press conference