"It’s like he was possessed" - Tim Simpson sheds light on Israel Adesanya’s battle with darkness during UFC 287 fight week

The recent UFC 287 event saw Israel Adesanya emerge as the undisputed winner, both regaining his middleweight title and avenging past defeats against his fiercest rival, Alex Pereira.

Prior to the recent clash, Pereira had bested Adesanya three times, including a memorable knockout victory that secured the middleweight gold. However, Adesanya's unwavering belief in his abilities and a strategic shift in his game plan proved pivotal in their latest encounter.

Refusing to let Pereira dictate the pace, Adesanya unleashed a powerful right hand that left the Brazilian fighter unconscious on the canvas.

Providing insight into Adesanya's mindset during the lead-up to UFC 287, his manager, Tim Simpson, recently shared a chilling story from their training camp in Miami. Simpson recalled a moment when he encountered Israel Adesanya in an ice bathroom, presumably recovering from a grueling training session:

"In Miami during fight week [UFC 287], there was a ice bath on the other room... as I am like done, Izzy [Adesanya] comes in, and I was like, 'Hey how are you feeling?' and he was like blank... I was like 'You okay?' and he went in [front of] the mirror... and he was like starring himself in the mirror... like he couldn't hear me. It was intense, like dark thing. And he was starring himself and breathing heavily. And it was like he was possessed."

Check out Tim Simpson recall the incident in the video below:

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Israel Adesanya claims Alex Pereira's leg kicks are 'f***ing dangerous'

Following the bout at UFC 287, the two fighters engaged in a brief conversation, during which Israel Adesanya couldn't help but express his admiration for Pereira's leg kicks

In a recent appearance on the FLAGRANT PODCAST, Adesanya shared the backstage interaction he had with Alex Pereira. The middleweight king didn't hold back his praise for the Brazilian fighter's leg kicks, stating:

"I told him (Pereira)...you, with that leg kick, that's f**king dangerous. There's no tell. He doesn't like...when you leg kick, sometimes, you have to step. The quicker the step, the quicker the kick. Even a headkick. Quicker the step, quicker the kick. That's the general rule. But he doesn't even step. He's just there and boom...It's just like magic."

Check out Israel Adesanya's interview below (42:54 mark):