Israel Adesanya unmoved ahead of UFC Saudi Arabia return and snapping PPV record: ‘I still get paid’

Booked to make his return to action at UFC Saudi Arabia in February, Israel Adesanya seems to have no qualms about competing on a ‘Fight Night’ billed card rather than a pay-per-view event for the first time since 2018, claiming he will still get “paid” regardless.

Adesanya, a former two-time undisputed middleweight champion, will feature in the headliner of the promotion’s third trip to Riyadh at the beginning of February, taking on surging Russian-French contender, Nassourdine Imavov in a high-stakes pairing between the duo in the Middle East.

And sidelined since August, City Kickboxing staple, Adesanya most recently headlined UFC 305 in a title grudge challenge against Dricus du Plessis, dropping an eventual fourth round face crank submission loss to the Pretoria native.

Israel Adesanya unbothered by return to ‘Fight Night’ billed events

However, in his return against Imavov, Nigerian-Kiwi striker, Adesanya will feature sans pay-per-view for the first time since his 2018 win over Brad Tavares, but he seems unbothered that his 14-fight run on flagship cards has ended.

“I still get paid,” Israel Adesanya said during a video on his official YouTube channel. “There’s still a referee, it’s two of us in there, there’s a crowd. It’s not like in the f***ing Apex or something, so it doesn’t feel any different. 

“I think people are making it out to be something how they would react to it, but they’re not in my shoes,” Israel Adesanya continued. “They’re not in my shorts. It’s different. It’s a Saudi Arabia Fight Night, first of all. I still get paid. It still feels like you’re fighting Israel Adesanya. This is the biggest fight of his life. I have to be the one to halt that. It still feels the same. It doesn’t feel any different. Like I said, people who don’t do what I do – they’re the ones that are [saying that] because of their ego.”