LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] vs. Jared Cannonier and Israel Adesanya vs. Alex Pereira.
Those are the two matchups at the forefront of the majority of conversations in the lead-up to UFC 276, which takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena. All three men will compete on the main card. At a pre-fight news conference Thursday, [autotag]Sean Strickland[/autotag] reminded those who may have forgotten there is a fourth man in the mix.
Seated behind the champion Adesanya on stage at the event which featured all 10 main card participants, Strickland took a subtle jab at the titleholder when asked who the best striker on stage was. From there, things went off the rails, as Adesanya turned around and clapped back. The two exchanged words, threats, and insults before things settled down the questions from reporters including MMA Junkie resumed.
Read a transcript of the exchange below, or check it out in the video above.
Strickland: “I would say me, but that man was the one who slept that man. Next to me, next to me, probably Alex. What was it? 2-0 against Izzy? What is it 2-0?”
Adesanya: “Did you watch the whole fight?”
Strickland: “No, I don’t watch fights.”
Adesanya: “Exactly, do your f*cking job next time.”
Strickland: “Oh, man. I made the champion mad with his f*cking frosted tips and his gay little watch. Oh no. I’m just joking. Izzy is a savage, bro. No doubt.”
Adesanya: “What happened before I walked on stage? I smacked you on the ass like my b*tch.”
Strickland: “Bro, your Pornhub is just filled with cartoons, bro. No man that beats off to cartoons is going to beat me. Calm down. Calm down.”
Adesanya: “I’ll tell you what. When you win this fight and when we fight, I’ll knock you out and do a TikTok dance over your grave.”
Strickland: “Oh, f*ck it. Look at this grown-ass man on f*cking TikTok. Maybe that’s the problem, bro. This guy is the champion. Bro, any day. Bro, I will walk outside with you right now. Right now. You want my number. Come on.”
Adesanya: “Do something about it, then. … I smacked you on your ass and what the f*ck did you do?”
Strickland: “Listen, bro. You’re going to break a f*cking nail. Calm down. Calm down.”
Adesanya: “I’ll break your f*cking face. I’ll break my nail on your face.”
Strickland: “Alex, get this man. Get this man.”
Adesanya: “You better focus on your guy. Otherwise, he’s going to f*ck you up, too.”
Strickland: “Not the way he slept your ass. Nah, but, no, no. Izzy is a solid guy. He’s a good guy. I don’t judge his cartoon porn addiction. I’m not going to be that guy.”
Adesanya: “It’s hentai. Get used to it. It’s hentai.”
Strickland: “It’s called hentai. I’m a grown-ass man. Calm down. I’m not watching cartoons.”
Adesanya: “I like him like the stepbrother I never wanted. Guess what? Focus on this guy. He’s a tough opponent. You focus on him as well.”
Strickland: “Hey, Izzy. Why don’t you tell me what not to do. Tell me what not to do, Izzy. What shouldn’t I do, take a f*cking nap?”
Adesanya faces Cannonier in the UFC 276 main event Saturday, two fights after Strickland battles Pereira. UFC president Dana White has indicated the winners of the two fights will face each other in the following middleweight title bout.
Check out the full UFC 276 pre-fight news conference video below:
[vertical-gallery id=2558261]