Chael Sonnen says that Israel Adesanya can be a bigger draw than Conor McGregor

13 July 2023

Chael Sonnen believes that Israel Adesanya is on his way to becoming a bigger draw than Conor McGregor.

On a momentous Saturday night, Dricus Du Plessis, fresh off his triumph over Robert Whittaker, stepped into the octagon to face the legendary Israel Adesanya. By securing a victory against Whittaker, Du Plessis distinguished himself as the first middleweight, other than Adesanya, to conquer the former champion since 2014.

His emphatic statement sent shockwaves through the MMA community, instantly propelling him into the conversation as the next deserving contender for Adesanya's coveted UFC title. The intense exchange between these two African-born fighters after the fight added an extra layer of intrigue, transforming it into one of the most captivating storylines emerging from the premier UFC event of the year.

Adesanya's ability to captivate the audience, both inside and outside the octagon, has earned Sonnen's unwavering support. The champ's impressive skills, coupled with his knack for self-promotion, have undoubtedly won Sonnen over.

“Izzy is coming for his [Conor McGregor’s] spot. Izzy is coming for top draw in this sport — and he’s not that far away. By the way, he truly made that program for me. I’m a fight fan. I understand the importance of the interview, I understand the importance of the walk, I understand the importance of the song that you choose — I’m a fight fan, I tuned in to watch the fights. There’s times I’ll be driving in my car that I’ll have to turn on the ESPN [feed], I can’t even hear anything but I don’t want to miss the fights,” Sonnen noted [via MMA Fighting].

Sonnen further went on to add his point.

“It’s a really interesting thing, and you watch Izzy, he’s got this small circle. It doesn’t matter how many millions he’s got, he’s a pissed-off guy that thinks people are trying to take things from him, that people don’t give him his respect, that people don’t give him his due. But that’s how we got here in the first place. And it’s very hard to maintain that same mentality when your life is so different. When you’ve already climbed that hill, it’s very, very hard. You almost have to force it. It’s a forced discipline. And I see Adesanya do it,” he said.

ALSO READ | Conor McGregor backs Dricus Du Plessis against Israel Adesanya

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