The UFC 293 main event between middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and surprise title challenger Sean Strickland is sure to deliver fireworks.
But if Strickland’s behaviour this week is anything to go by, the official pre-fight press conference is going to be just as dramatic and full of surprises.
In case you missed it, Strickland has already sparred a fan in “rogue” scenes, punched another on the streets of Bondi and asked a journalist if their d*** is “pierced”.
If Wednesday’s media day is anything to go by, Strickland and Adesanya are guaranteed to trade verbal blows too after the challenger described the champion as a “f***ing cringe-lord”.
Strickland gets around monster NRL hits | 01:12
“Nobody likes f***ing Izzy. He’s a f***ing cringe-lord,” Strickland said at UFC 293 media day.
“Everything that guy does makes you f***ing wince. Like, did he really do that? Is he really race-baiting Dricus [Du Plessis] right now? How does this play out for you? The thing about Izzy, when somebody sucks to that degree, it’s pretty f***ing easy to make fun of them.
“This f***ing cringe-lord. Even talking about him makes me want to go f***ing take a shower. I feel dirty.”
Yep, in case it isn’t obvious already, you better get the swear counter ready because Strickland will definitely let loose at Adesanya like he did in Las Vegas last year ahead of UFC 276.
The first real argument of the night though came between Adesanya and Manel Kape, who took aim at City Kickboxing teammate and fellow Kiwi Kai Kara-France.
Kara-France pulled out his scheduled bout with Kape at UFC 293 due to concussion, with rising contender Felipe Dos Santos taking his place.
Kape though called Kara-France out for it on Thursday, prompting Adesanya to stand up and try get in his face as he urged his rival to “sit the f*** down”.
There are plenty of other fights on the card to look forward to, with heavyweight Tai Tuivasa facing Alexander Volkov while fellow Australian Tyson Pedro opens the main card against Anton Turkalj.
Kiwi Justin Tafa is also in action against Austen Lane in a heavyweight scrap while Carlos Ulberg, Jack Jenkins and Jamie Mullarkey round out the Australian and New Zealand-born fighters on the card.
Strickland calls fan to fight on stage | 00:47
FULL CARD (ALL TIMES AEST)
MAIN CARD (from 12pm)
Israel Adesanya (c) v Sean Strickland for middleweight championship
Tai Tuivasa v Alexander Volkov — heavyweight
Manel Kape v Felipe dos Santos — flyweight
Justin Tafa v Austen Lane — heavyweight
Tyson Pedro v Anton Turkalj — light heavyweight
PRELIMS (from 10am)
Carlos Ulberg v Jung Da-Un — light heavyweight
Jack Jenkins v Chepe Mariscal — featherweight
Jamie Mullarkey v John Makdessi — lightweight
Nasrat Haqparast v Landon Quinones — lightweight
EARLY PRELIMS (from 8:30am)
Mike Mathetha v Charlie Radtke — welterweight
Shane Young v Gabriel Miranda — featherweight
Kevin Jousset v Kiefer Crosbie — welterweight
HOW TO WATCH
Fight fans can catch all the action from UFC 293 on Kayo Sports and Main Event.
