Coach: Israel Adesanya would’ve faced Stipe Miocic for the heavyweight title next if he beat Jan Blachowicz

By Cole Shelton - March 9, 2021

Israel Adesanya had plans to try and become the first-ever three-weight champion in the UFC.

Israel Adesanya

According to Adesanya’s coach, Eugene Bareman had Adesanya became a champ-champ on Saturday he would’ve moved up to heavyweight if Miocic defended his belt again.

“I think I can answer this because it is beside the point now, we lost. If we won the title, for me and our management team and our team, we were going to go all the way,” Eugene Bareman said of Israel Adesanya to Sirius XM. “Why stop there? We were going to go up, but nothing to do with Jon Jones. Israel has stated he’s too close to Francis Ngannou to fight him. But, if Miocic won we were going to go all the way 100 percent.”

Israel Adesanya

Israel Adesanya ‘champ champ’

Eugene Bareman said there was support for Israel Adesanya to go from the light heavyweight title to the heavyweight title. Yet, those plans were nixed with Adesanya losing a decision to Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259.

Although more people wanted to see Adesanya face Jones next if he had won, Bareman says Jones was never in their plans. Instead, it was about making history and winning titles in three different weight classes.

“Jon Jones, he doesn’t come into any of our planning. When we are planning Israel’s career, he doesn’t exist in any of those decisions,” Bareman said of Adesanya’s plans after UFC 259. “The only person that exists in Jon Jones’ head and life is Israel… If we beat Blachowicz we were going to try and do what has never been done before. Given that Miocic wins.”

With the loss, Israel Adesanya dropped to 20-1 as a pro but is still the middleweight champion. He mentioned he dared to be great and he came up short. Now, he will be dropping back down to 185lbs and will continue to rule over the division.

Would you have liked to see Israel Adesanya fight for the heavyweight title if he had beaten Jan Blachowicz?

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM


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