‘I’d Kick Adesanya’s A—!’

Gegard Mousasi continues to shine brightly after yet another impressive title defense.

The current Bellator Middleweight champion headlined this past Friday’s (Feb. 25, 2022) Bellator 275 card in Dublin, Ireland where Mousasi was challenged by the undefeated 11-0 Austin Vanderford. Needing just 85-seconds, Mousasi put away the talented wrestler with ground-and-pound punches after defending a takedown (watch highlights).

Mousasi, 35, has been competing professionally since 2003 and holds a 49-7-2 record. 12-1 in his last 13 outings spanning back to the latter half of his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) stint, Mousasi believes he’s right at the very top when it comes to his worldwide status. Thus leaving the community to wonder exactly how he’d fair against current UFC titleholder Israel Adesanya.

Well, Mousasi has some thoughts of his own.

“I would kick his ass,” Mousasi said of Adesanya on The MMA Hour. “Him or [Robert] Whittaker, their stand-up styles are perfect for me. What is this potato fans that think I would lose? F—ckers. No respect. Listen, I’m not talking about the Mousasi of one year ago, I’m not talking about the Mousasi of five years ago. I’m talking about the Mousasi you saw Friday. That was 85-seconds. Didn’t I tell you I’m gonna beat him? And I’m gonna be the best Middleweight. What else do they want? From now on, everybody is going to get finished. Everybody. They’re not [at my level]. No one is.”

For many, Mousasi’s performance acted as a reminder of just how great he is when at the height of his game.

While names like Khabib Nurmagomedov expressed their positive thoughts toward the former Strikeforce champion, others haven’t been as kind and Mousasi wants to let them know he’s aware of it.

“I was so confident. I said I’m the best Middleweight and I’m not talking about Mousasi of five years ago — now,” he said. “Okay, I was the best Middleweight 25 Feb., now maybe somebody else is the best. But on that day, I was really the best. On that day I was the best, any Middleweight would have gotten it. The next day, maybe somebody else is better.

“I was looking at the Sherdog list of top 10 fighters. I’m at No. 9 or 8, can you believe that? Who does the Sherdog rankings? I should be [No. 3]. If I fought No. 10 to No. 4, I would be favored. Only against maybe Whittaker and Israel Adesanya would I not be favored. So obviously I’m No. 3, at least. I don’t know who’s doing the rankings there but they should come and suck some lollipops (laughs).”

Since 2019, Mousasi has fought once per year but aims to increase his activities levels going forward and Bellator is on board with that idea. With five fights left on his current contract, the possibility is there for a return to Light Heavyweight and maybe even some Heavyweight fun… but that’s a strong maybe.

Light Heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov and Corey Anderson are set to wrap up the division’s tournament Grand Prix finals on Apr. 15 at Bellator 277. Afterward, Mousasi hopes he can face the winner before riding off into the sunset.

“I think if I finish the contract, I do one boxing fight, I don’t know. What’s the point to fight again some more?” he said. “I’ve done it all. I think five more fights I can win then I’m not gonna do more than that.”