UFC 293: Israel Adesanya admits Robert Whittaker comments went too far

Israel Adesanya’s incredible earning power can be revealed as he concedes his regret over taunts he has made toward other UFC stars including Aussie-based Robert Whittaker.

Israel Adesanya (R) first won the middleweight title by beating Rob Whittaker (R). Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

Growth.

It’s been a recurring theme for Israel Adesanya over the past couple of years.

From his personal life, to coming back from his world title fight defeat to Alex Pereira and even to his bank account, growth has been a constant.

He displayed that this week when talking about some regrettable comments he directed at Robert Whittaker ahead of their first fight at UFC 243 in 2019.

Although the build-up to that showdown had fewer fireworks than this week’s spicy UFC 293 fight week, it was no less tense.

At the heart of it were comments Adesanya made questioning the Sydney-based Whittaker’s Maori heritage.

“He disowned New Zealand in a way,” Adesanya said, while doubling down on his own representation of New Zealand and Nigeria.

Whittaker didn’t say it at the time, but he was rattled by the comments and ended up being knocked out in the second round.

Adesanya stopped Whittaker in the second round at UFC 243. Picture: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa/Getty Images

Four years on, Adesanya recognises he went too far.

“Someone bought it to my attention, they showed receipts and I was like, ‘Oh, why did I say that?’” Adesanya tells this masthead. “I was younger.

“I wouldn’t say that now, because how am I going to say – as a black dude – trying to tell this Maori man that he’s not Maori because he lives in Australia.

“That’s stupid.

“But, shout out to growth, shout out to maturity, shout out to self-awareness. I was wrong for that, it was dumb of me to do.

“The best thing you can do is learn from it, and that’s called growth.”

Adesanya’s ongoing evolution is best seen in ‘Stylebender’, the documentary about his life that premiered in Australia this week.

Adesanya (R), with his coach, Eugene Bareman (L) and Zoe McIntosh, who directed ‘Stylebender’. Picture: Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

The film shows the 34-year-old at his most vulnerable, going to therapy, getting his nails done and getting more in touch with his feminine side.

At the film’s premiere in Sydney on Monday, Adesanya took photos and chatted to a handful of high-profile fans, including Parramatta Eels stars Dylan Brown and Will Penisini.

Their picture sparked a debate on social media about the size and scale of Adesanya’s fame compared to the pair of footy players, and even the club they play for.

Because, while the UFC doesn’t have the same mainstream following in Australia as it does elsewhere, Adesanya is truly a global superstar.

Social media numbers are a crude measure, but Adesanya has 3.3 million more Instagram followers than all 16 NRL clubs and the NRL’s official account combined.

In more tangible terms, Adesanya is a millionaire many, many times over.

One memorable scene in ‘Stylebender’ shows him signing a new big-money UFC contract which will set him, his family and his coach, Eugene Bareman, up for life.

He drives a McLaren 720 Spider worth upwards of $550,000, bought his dad a Bentley and his mum a Porsche.

Through fighting, sponsorships, investments and a handful of other income streams, industry sources speculate he could earn as much as three times the NRL’s $9.1 million salary cap per year.

One of the highest paid fighters in the UFC, even Adesanya’s opponents benefit from fighting him.

Strickland was able to pick up more sponsorship money for this fight, leading to Adesanya’s claims at Thursday’s press conference that the American had “sold his soul” when taking money from Monster Energy Drinks.

Adesanya and Strickland face-off at Thursday’s UFC 293 press conference. Picture: Chris Unger/Zuffa/Getty Images

Strickland’s response, that Adesanya – who has fought and lived in China – is a “Chinaman” and a “sleeper cell for the CCP” highlights the increasingly ugly build-up to the world title bout.

With tensions rising, it was left to Adesanya’s old foe Whittaker to deliver the one genuinely funny moment of fight week.

The Reaper co-hosted Fox Sports’ live coverage of Wednesday’s open workouts at Town Hall. When Adesanya finished his workout, he grabbed the mic and asked how many of the crowd had been in Melbourne to witness his win over Whittaker.

With a cheeky grin, Whittaker thrust his hand into the air and laughed.

It was a moment that deservedly went viral and was an example that Whittaker too has experienced his own growth over the past four years.

Originally published as UFC 293: Israel Adesanya admits Robert Whittaker comments went too far