Nigerian-New Zealander professional mixed martial artist Israel Mobolaji Adesanya has revealed that he cried after his last fight against Jarod Cannonier.
The 33-year-old Adesanya defeated Jared Cannonier via unanimous Decision at Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) 276 in Las Vegas, United States of America.
After defending the UFC Middleweight Championship against Cannonier, Adesanya was reduced to tears.
The style bender as he is known explained the adversity he had to overcome despite the victory against Cannonier.
The fight with Cannonier was expected to be explosive but Adesanya rarely engaged in exchanges for the five rounds to claim victory.
Adesanya on tears after win against Cannonier
Ahead of his next challenge against Alex Pereira at UFC 281, Adesanya admitted to crying backstage after defeating Cannonier.
The UFC middleweight champion explained that his performance against Cannonier was not satisfactory hence bursting into tears.
Following his fourth straight win, Adesanya was not impressed with his performance and was criticized by fans in attendance as well as the media.
Adesanya has now explained that his tears were because of his performance but also the build-up to the fight and expectation levels.
To the MMA hour, he said, “I don’t hold on to things, I let myself feel them. People try to deny things and block it, if you fight your emotions they’ll get you later on. So I feel it. I cried backstage.
"So I expressed it, feel it, and I let it go. It’s a good way to release emotions, it relaxes you. It’s just a normal human function, I don’t know why we shame it.
“[I was] upset at myself for what I wanted to do. People mistake it. This is not about other people. This is about me. I did the Undertaker walkout and I had this Miyamoto Musashi mentality like I’m going to make him wait, because I don’t think it’s going to last long.
"Then I get there and I’m a little bit frustrated during the fight trying to figure out how to take this guy. For me, it was just the pressure I put on myself because it was International Fight Week.”
Adesanya's last three fights ended in comfortable decision victories and he is now under intense pressure in his next fight.
Adesanya now has a chance to remind the MMA fans of his devastating and aggressive side when he takes on former two-time kickboxing rival Alex Pereira at UFC 281 scheduled to take place at Madison Square Garden.