Chael Sonnen comments on Israel Adesanya‘s post-fight theatrics at UFC 287, suggesting he has gone “heel” and praising his promotion skills.
Chael Sonnen, known for his expertise in tapping into the theatrical side of MMA, was intrigued by Israel Adesanya’s post-fighting efforts following his title-winning knockout of Alex Pereira at UFC 287. In Sonnen’s heyday, he was one of the best self-promoters in the business, using his gift of gab to propel himself to superstardom. His experience in headlining numerous lucrative events and pay-per-views has made him an expert in identifying good fight promotion.
Sonnen closely observed Adesanya’s work during the event and thought he successfully portrayed the “heel” — the villain of the piece. He particularly appreciated the “very condescending” nature of Adesanya’s embrace with Pereira afterwards, as well as the moment Adesanya unleashed a volley of faux arrows over Pereira’s unconscious body, mocking his young son who was seated cageside. Sonnen called this performance a beautiful piece of work and praised Adesanya for his boldness in mocking a minor.
One reason Sonnen believes Adesanya’s decision to turn heel matters in the long run is the looming question of what’s next for him. After the event, Adesanya dismissed the idea of running back a trilogy fight with Pereira and instead directed his attention toward South African contender Dricus Du Plessis. In doing so, Sonnen believes Adesanya may have successfully swung the narrative surrounding his ongoing rivalry with Pereira. Sonnen hopes that other fighters can study and learn from Adesanya’s tactics in creating new rivalries and storylines in the MMA world.
In considering future matchups, Sonnen believes that if Pereira stays at 185 pounds, a rematch with Adesanya would be the most logical choice. However, if Pereira moves to 205, Sonnen questions whether he would immediately enter into a world title fight. He highlights the rarity of fighters who have been able to contend at both 185 and 205 pounds and notes that he is one of the few to have accomplished this feat.