Adesanya: 'Strickland doesn't want me to treat him like Costa'

UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya considers his closest rival Sean Strickland has serious self-confidence problems.

The fight between the New Zealand Nigerian and the American will be the main event of the UFC 293 tournament, which will be held on September 9 in Sindney, Australia.

“Sean is very insecure. If you want to appear cool, then you have only one chance, the first impression. When we first met, he looked like a girl.

I just asked, "Hey, how are you?" And he replied: "Oh, don't treat me like your boy Costa." And then we went to a press conference, he began to behave differently. And I thought, where was this energy behind the scenes. That's why when he tries to do all sorts of nonsense, it doesn't work," Adesanya said in an interview with The Mac Life YouTube channel.