Is Israel Adesanya a dancer?
UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya used to be a dancer before he got into martial arts
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Israel Adesanya doing a victory dance (Image Sources - MARCA)
It is not uncustomary for a UFC fighter to have been a dancer before. The art of dance requires extreme flexibility, athleticism, and most of all, discipline. These aspects migrate well into combat sports as well. Although not all dancers can become world champions, there is a possibility for some. Fighters like Israel Adesanya are prime examples.
Sometimes, fighters can be seen incorporating their dancing skills during walk-outs to the ring. Fighters like Valentina Shevchenko brought out their dancing skills to the octagon. Even during post-fight celebrations, fighters tend to bust out a dance move regardless of their past as dancers.
Related: Was Israel Adesanya ever a kickboxing champion?
Israel Adesanya’s past as a dancer
Before Israel Adesanya became a UFC Middleweight Champion fighter, he was a dancer. Adesanya has spoken out against bullying and how he used to get bullied during his childhood. Adesanya realized his talent for dance at a very young age. When the bullying did not stop, he wanted to pick up martial arts for himself.
‘The Broken Native,’ was a name Israel coined for his dance crew when he was young. Izzy thought that he should take the broken native as his lifestyle. He has always mentioned that he stood out from his contemporaries. Israel said that he feels “broken” as a native African.
The Stylebender excelled at dancing from a young age. The president of the UFC, Dana White told ESPN, “If he wasn’t fighting, he could probably be making a lot of money, dancing. He’s that good.“
Israel Adesanya’s legendary walk-out dance against Robert Whittaker
Before Israel Adesanya defeated Robert Whittaker to become the undisputed UFC middleweight champion, his dance routine impressed fans. ‘The Stylebender’ brought out dancers and broke out a dance routine that amazed fans.
The idea originally was vetoed by the president of the UFC, Dana White. He felt like there would be no men who would wanna watch other men dance. After beating Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silvia, Adesanya got the approval for the dance routine. There, the iconic walk-out was born
Israel Adesanya is currently preparing for his fight against Alex Pereira for UFC 287. Fans are excited for the event and the fighters’ official 4th bout. The UFC 287 is around the corner and fans cannot wait to see who emerges victorious.
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Prateek Athanur
(2961 Articles Published)