UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is unhappy with how the New Zealand government has treated him and his side, City Kickboxing, during the current COVID-19 lockdown.
Adesanya made the following comments on his YouTube channel about New Zealand’s MIQ (Managed Isolation Quarantine) system and the complications it caused the team to help UFC lightweight contender Dan Hooker to prepare for his fight against Nasrat Haqparast at UFC 266 on Saturday night.
“The constant effort to suffocate, break and disrupt our team, City Kickboxing, to help our team captain prepare for his fight is what pissed me off the most,” Adesanya said (h / t Newshub). “I already know they don’t like me, the bureaucrats in this country. ‘Oh, he talks too much, he’s not humble enough, he doesn’t represent a real Kiwi.’ That’s a built-in excuse. “Are racist, they don’t want a black boy to represent New Zealand, but Dan drapes this country over his shoulders. He puts this country on his back.”
He went on to make the following statement about never wanting to fight in New Zealand again because of the country’s continued harassment against City Kickboxing and the hardship they provided for the team.
“You will never see me fight in New Zealand again”, Adesanya said. “All that money, they can get it from somewhere else. Their rugby players, their crickets and all the others that they give exemptions to, but you’ll never see me fight on these shores. [again]. It was one of my dreams, to make the front page of a stadium in my backyard. This dream died in the water, that’s just how I’m feeling right now “
Fightful has all your MMA needs covered. Follow us on twitter for updates, and subscribe to our YouTube channel for exclusive interviews, lists, updates and predictions.
