Nigerian-born Australian kickboxer Israel Adesanya has described Sean Strickland as a โdangerousโ man ahead of their UFC 293 on September 10, 2023.
Israel Adesanya who likes to be called โThe Last Stylebenderโ was expected to face Dricus du Plessis after the South African shocked everyone by defeating Robert Whittaker at UFC 290. But owing to injuries, Du Plessis was compelled to withdraw from the competition.
Adesanya claimed that he had to persuade the UFC to schedule a fight with Strickland because they werenโt very interested in doing so.
Ahead of their pay-per-view fight, the Nigerian-Australian fighter analyzed his opponent and concluded that he wouldnโt be taking Strickland lightly.
Even though both men are renowned for their hitting abilities, they have very different strategies for success. Sean Strickland uses a combination of persistent pressure and powerful hitting output to overwhelm opponents, whereas Israel Adesanya is a more sophisticated counter-striker who sets traps for his opponents.
In an interview with Combat TV, the reigning Middleweight champion, Adesanya said, โThreat meter for Strickland, to be honest, skill-wise Iโll give him a three [out of 10]. But a man with nothing to lose and everything to gain is a dangerous man. Thatโs why I take him seriously, and thatโs why I put the work in this camp.โ
Meanwhile, Israel Adesanya is set to release his documentary titled โStylebenderโ in September.
The 34-year-old fighter released the teaser on Wednesday after it had its global premiere at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival in Manhattan in June.
The trailer shows how Adesanyaโs confidence wasnโt always there, even though he was captivating from the time he stepped into the cage.
The Zoe McIntosh film โStylebenderโ gives viewers a close-up view of the New Zealand-based MMA champion. According to the official summary, the documentary โdelves deeply into an unlikely fighterโs journey and goes beyond the octagon.โ The dramatized portrayal of โThe Last Stylebender,โ who is complex, fascinating, and oftentimes divisive, is explored in the film, along with Israelโs experiences with bullying, masculinity, mental health, and the healing power of dance.
McIntosh and her team were able to film Stylebender for five years and had access to Israel Adesanya and his staff exclusively.
The New Zealand Film Commission, the New Zealand Governmentโs Screen Production Grant, and the New Zealand Governmentโs Screen Production Recovery Fund all provided funding for the FluroBlack production to finish the documentary.
After Adesanyaโs attempts to get the documentary on Netflix yielded no tangible results, the documentary is now scheduled to open in theaters on September 28, 2023.