Israel Adesanya says he’ll make Yoel Romero fight ‘look easy’

Israel Adesanya is full of confidence ahead of his title fight against Yoel Romero.

In the main event of UFC 248, Adesanya will look to defend his title for the first time when he takes on Romero. Yet, “The Last Stylebender” revealed it was tough to convince the UFC to make this fight with the Cuban in Romero being on a two-fight losing streak.

“It was hard to sell it to [the UFC] because they were like, we can’t give a title shot to a guy who’s had numerous title shots, who’s been known for little vet moves or cheating “AKA”, and he’s just a guy that they didn’t think they could sell it,” Israel Adesanya told Submission Radio recently (via MMA Fighting). “But I told them I’d sell it, I’d be the one to put it on. Because he’s the guy that people had been hoping [would beat me]. It’s not really about him. They’re not coming to watch him, they’re coming to watch me because they’re hoping he’s the one to take me out.

“Cause from the get-go, from my first UFC fight, all they ever said was, ‘Feed him to Romero,’ and, ‘He’ll take him down and it’s over’. That’s what all the casuals have felt, that’s what all the experts have felt,” he added. “So, I just feel like he’s one of those guys, I think he’s one of those guys that he’s… I mean, he scares Darren Till. I don’t see it, but yeah, he’s the guy that scares a lot of people. And no one’s asked to fight him, so I’m doing something different.”

Even though Romero is on a two-fight losing streak, he remains one of the scariest fights at middleweight. He has knockout power and very good wrestling. But, Israel Adesanya is confident he will get his hand raised and do so very easily.

“I’ve had some tough tests,” Adesanya said. “Right now, I still think Kelvin has been my toughest fight so far physically. Mentally, Anderson has been my toughest fight so far. But, we’ll see. That’s yet to be said. I don’t think he’s gonna be. Like, the way the match is shaping up, I don’t really think he’s gonna be. I think he’s gonna be quite… not easy, but I’ll make it look easy.

“I said that about the Robert fight, cause everyone was counting me out. They said, ‘man, this is it, nah, you can’t f*ck with Robert’, this and that. And I said I’ll make it look easy. And what did I do? I made it look easy, I just feel that way for this one as well. I don’t think… Yoel is a guy who’s fought someone who just stays in front of him. He stays in front of him, and yeah, he likes a punching bag, and that I am not.”

Do you think Israel Adesanya will be able to beat Yoel Romero rather easily at UFC 248? Sound off in the comment section, PENN Nation!

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 1/30/2020.