UFC Champion Israel Adesanya Promises to Knock Out Rival Sean Strickland

• Israel Adesanya has assured rival Sean Strickland of a knockout when both UFC stars fight
• Adesanya will defend his UFC middleweight title against Sean Strickland on September 29
• Strickland has won seven of his past nine fights before facing Adesanya next

Israel Adesanya is already talking tough ahead of his upcoming UFC title defence against Sean Strickland after promising to knock him out when they square up in the octagon.

Adesanya will defend his UFC middleweight title against Strickland in the main event of UFC 293 on September 9 in Sydney after initial opponent Dricus Du Plessis backed out due to an injury.

According to MMA Fighting, Adesanya has assured Strickland he will knock him out with his painted nails after the American had insulted the UFC champion’s act of always getting his nails manicured and painted.

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“He says he’s not going to lose to a guy that jerks off to cartoons or paints his nails. Well, I’m going to paint my nails for that fight, and I’m going to knock him out with my painted nails.”

Adesanya, a two-time UFC middleweight champion, comes into the bout with Strickland off a second-round knockout of Alex Pereira at UFC 287 in April, where he regained his title.

Adesanya impressed with Strickland's sparring

Meanwhile, Israel Adesanya was impressed by Sean Strickland in his sparring sessions against former middleweight champion Alex Pereira ahead of their match-up this September, Sportskeeda reports.

No.5-ranked Strickland has been training with Pereira since his last bout against Abus Magomedov as he tries to claim the UFC title from Adesanya for the first time in his mixed martial arts career.

Adesanya will put his title on the line for the sixth time against Strickland after previously defending his crown on five different occasions and losing it once to Alex Pereira.

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Adesanya vs. Strickland set in Sydney

Earlier, Sports Brief reported Israel Adesanya’s much-anticipated showdown with Dricus Du Plessis will have to wait as “The Last Stylebender” will defend his UFC middleweight belt against Sean Strickland on September 9 in Sydney.

UFC president Dana White announced on Tuesday that Adesanya vs. Strickland will be the main event of UFC 293.

The UFC was hoping for Adesanya to defend his middleweight championship against Du Plessis in the main event for UFC 293, unfortunately, the South African won’t be ready by September 9 after he suffered a foot injury before the Whittaker fight.