Israel Adesanya dishes about the benefit of confidence, from nose picks to nipples, at UFC 248

LAS VEGAS – As long as he’s been in the public eye, Israel Adesanya never has lacked confidence.

It’s no different entering his first promotional title defense at UFC 248 against Yoel Romero. However, Adesanya (18-0 MMA, 7-0 UFC) said he wasn’t confident until he came to a realization.

When speaking to the media at a pre-fight media day Thursday, Adesanya openly picked his nose, lifted up his shirt, and talked about a variety of other bodily functions – in order to prove a point about confidence.

“I didn’t grow up with this,” Adesanya told MMA Junkie. “I think it’s just accepting we all pick our noses. Y’all take a (expletive), don’t you? We all (expletive) have sex. But somehow in this day and, age everyone likes to (pretend).

“I bet you Joanna (Jedrzejczyk) couldn’t do this, or Weili Zhang couldn’t do this. Why?” Adesanya continued, pulling up his shirt. “It’s a nipple. It’s a (expletive) nipple. I can do this because I’m a man. It’s International Women’s Month, but they can’t do that because they’re women.”

Not caring about other people’s opinions has resulted in an elevation of confidence. Adesanya used the example of children when talking about society’s “Puritan ideology.”

“… Everyone likes to act like there’s this weird, filtered-to-TV Puritan ideology,” Adesanya said. “Like, ‘Oh, let’s protect the minds of the children.’ Kids are smarter than you think. I have a conversation with kids and I’m like, ‘I don’t have to censor myself around you because you’re smart enough to comprehend what I’m saying and how I’m saying (it).”

When Adesanya steps into the cage Saturday, he’ll face perennial contender Romero (13-4 MMA, 9-3 UFC). The Cuban middleweight is a tough test, Adesanya admitted, but it’s one he specifically requested. There’s much to be gained from the matchup, he said.

“I requested this fight because I didn’t want to sit down and just chill,” Adesanya said. “Don’t give me too much time off. I like to stay active. For me, he’s a guy. When I beat him, everyone is going to be like, ‘(Expletive). (Expletive)’ when they get the call to fight me. They’ll be like, ‘(Expletive), he’s got the belt so I have to fight him – but (expletive).’ I want to be that guy. I want to be the new boogeyman of the division.”

UFC 248 takes place Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass/ESPN+.