Adesanya On CKB Insults Preparing Him For UFC

Israel Adesanya credits the hostile training environment at his former gym with preparing him for the trash talk that comes with UFC press conferences.

The former two-time middleweight champion discussed enduring racist insults during his 16 years at City Kickboxing in New Zealand, per Sherdog. Rather than dwelling on the negativity, Adesanya reframed the experience as mental conditioning for the media circus that surrounds high-level fights.

From CKB Insults To UFC Media Work

In a YouTube video, Adesanya described facing verbal abuse from certain gym members as a form of preparation. He explained that surviving that environment meant press conference barbs would bounce off him. "I've got thick skin, and I don't let anything in, but I'm human," he said.

Adesanya trained full-time at City Kickboxing starting in 2010 before parting ways this past May. He now works with a smaller team at Unity MMA under head coach Andrei Paulet.

The Last Stylebender brings a four-fight losing streak into his Dec. 5 matchup against Sharabutdin Magomedov at UFC Saudi Arabia.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Israel Adesanya says CKB insults prepared him for UFC press conferences