Israel Adesanya Explains Gesture Before UFC 305 Loss

Photo: Israel Adesanya (Instagram)

At UFC 305 in Perth, Israel Adesanya made a comeback to the Octagon after an 11-month break. Despite a strong start, he was defeated in the fourth round by Dricus Du Plessis, who retained his middleweight title by submission.

During the fight, just before being taken down by Du Plessis, Adesanya made a gesture that many thought was a challenge to start a wild exchange, similar to one made famous by UFC fighter Max Holloway. 

Holloway's gesture, pointing to the ground to signal a fight-ending exchange, became well-known in 2016 and was highlighted again at UFC 300.

Photo: Israel Adesanya (Instagram)

However, Adesanya recently clarified the meaning behind his gesture. In a video on his YouTube channel, he explained that he wasn’t trying to start a brawl.

Instead, he pointed to the ground to show that he tripped and wasn’t hurt by a punch. Adesanya said he wanted to make it clear that he wasn’t rocked by Du Plessis’ strike.

After the fight, Adesanya hinted at a quick return to the Octagon. Despite the loss, he expressed his desire to fight again soon, saying he felt good enough to compete the following week. Adesanya plans to return to training and decide his next steps from there.

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Source: Bloody Elbow 

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