Did Israel Adesanya’s calm demeanor prevent a road rage altercation from escalating?
A September incident caught on camera saw “The Last Stylebender” engaging with an overzealous fan in Auckland. The former UFC middleweight champion faced a heated confrontation that could’ve easily turned physical. One man tried to engage in a one-on-one fight, seemingly inspired by the star’s presence, while Adesanya remained unfazed.
“Vibes were on,” Adesanya explained on “FLAGRANT”, his voice laced with amusement at the situation. “He doubled back and was like ‘Izzy, one outs!’…In New Zealand that’s like you and me, one on one, let’s go.” Adesanya even chuckled thinking about it all before walking away.
Moments later, the fan began to challenge him. A heated exchange ensued as Adesanya lifted his car door, clearly showing displeasure. “He pulled up,” said Adesanya, “And tried to talk all this trash to me and at one point I even tried to defuse it because I was like ‘Bro, I don’t know you.’ I said, ‘Bro, I fight for millions. I’m not going to knock your ass out for free.’ And he goes, ‘No, I fight for free. I fight for the streets and my pride.’”
Adesanya’s calm demeanor remained even when challenged by the fan’s trash-talking. The incident occurred just a month after Adesanya’s title loss to Dricus du Plessis, leaving him with an opportunity to vent his frustration. But instead of letting off steam, he made a conscious decision to leave without further interaction.
So did Adesanya’s calm demeanor prevent a road rage altercation from escalating?