So, after he went back behind the curtain and out of view of the prying eyes of fans on Friday night, Adesanya shared one final message.
“Without the support of you guys – not the bureaucrats or the government – without you guys, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do, so thank you for supporting City Kickboxing,” Adesanya told Sky Sport’s Ravinder Hunia.
“What we’re doing right now is making history, and a lot of you are missing it. I want you to enjoy this. I’m getting emotional because it’s me and my team. I love you guys, I appreciate you, and I can’t wait to f***ing work.”
On Sunday afternoon, the 34-year-old will appear in his 16th UFC fight since joining the promotion in 2018 – with just five of those bouts not being for a title. He meets American Sean Strickland in the main event. Strickland is currently ranked No 5 in the division, though Adesanya shapes up as arguably to worst stylistic matchup for the American at 84kg and he comes in as a massive underdog.
It has been an interesting week watching the two interact; Strickland, known for flapping his gums, trying to get Adesanya to bite on several barbs, unsuccessfully. At the two face-offs they have had, Strickland was hesitant to meet Adesanya face-to-face, instead shifting his focus to the crowd – who have loudly cheered for the American as he tried to win them over.
Adesanya has been quick to acknowledge the dangers that Strickland presents. He’s a volume fighter who will pressure his opponent by constantly moving forward, has shown in the past that he can be patient if required – as seen in his previous fight – and has decent grappling, although opts to strike most often.
Adesanya appears to have the speed and power advantages on his side, so if Strickland chooses to strike with the champion he could be in for a long night.
Other New Zealand links on the card
Carlos Ulberg (light heavyweight): Ulberg is riding a four-fight winning streak, with the last three of those coming via first-round knockout. He meets a game opponent in South Korea’s Da Woon Jung, and a win will likely see Ulberg break into the division’s top 15. This will be the last fight before the pay-per-view main card.
Blood Diamond (welterweight): Having not fought in a little more than a year, Diamond returns against UFC newcomer Charlie Radtke and is looking for his first win in the octagon in his third attempt. Diamond excelled in kickboxing, but has been unable to find his footing in the UFC after a couple of poor stylistic matchups. There’s every chance Diamond’s spot on the roster is on the line this weekend. He will fight in the early prelims.
Shane Young (featherweight): Young is returning after a unanimous decision loss in February, his third loss in a row. While he made a name for himself as a high-action fighter in two wins prior to his current skid, injuries and the Covid-19 pandemic have halted his momentum. He returns to the city in which he made his UFC debut five years ago against Gabriel Miranda in a similar position to Diamond – a loss could see him lose his place in the promotion. Young missed weight for this weekend’s bout by 1.7kg and will lose 30 per cent of his purse. He will fight in the early prelims.
Tyson Pedro (light heavyweight): Sydney’s Pedro is looking to bounce back after a loss in Perth in February, where he fought through a bout of gastro and did not perform to what he’s capable of. He’s looking to remind the local fans of what he can do against Sweden’s Anton Turkalj in what shapes up as a high-octane match-up. They will open the main card.
Kevin Jousset (welterweight): The Frenchman moved to New Zealand prior to Covid-19 in the hopes of developing his skills to the point where he would make the UFC. This weekend he will realise that dream, making his debut against Ireland’s Kiefer Crosbie – also on debut. Jousset’s background is in judo and he is a strong grappler, and his striking complements that skillset well. He’ll be the first fight of the night – opening the early prelims.
Justin Tafa (heavyweight): Brisbane-based Tafa will return against Austen Lane - the man he met inside the cage in his last fight, which ended in less than a minute after Tafa was poked in the eye. Tafa is known for his power and will likely be stalking the former NFL defensive end Lane until he finds his shot. Lane has the length advantage and will need to keep Tafa at range or mix in his grappling to get Tafa thinking. This will be the second fight on the main card.
How to watch
Early prelims (Jousset, Young, Diamond) from 10.30am Sunday on UFC Fight Pass
Prelims (Ulberg) from noon on ESPN, Sky Sport Now and UFC Fight Pass
Pay-per-view main card (Adesanya, Pedro, Tafa) from 2pm on Sky Arena, Sky Sport Now and UFC Fight Pass.
The Herald will also be running a live blog of the action from 10.30am at nzherald.co.nz
