Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is gearing up for his fourth match against arch-rival Alex Pereira at UFC 287 on April 8. Despite having lost three times to Pereira in the past, Adesanya has received a vote of confidence in the form of a $100,000 bet from former NFL star Brandon Tyrone Marshall.
Backstage during the UFC 287 ceremonial weigh-ins earlier on Friday, Tyrone Marshall spoke with Israel Adesanya for an ESPN MMA interview. Marshall seemed to have the $100k in cash and showed it to the cameras.
ESPN MMA posted a video of Adesanya thanking Brandon Marshall for his willingness to bet such a huge sum of money on him. Adesanya stated: “You can bet that on me, and you’ll get your money back. I’m betting my life on this sh** for real.”
In response, Brandon Marshall said that he would wager $100,000 on Adesanya defeating Pereira at UFC 287. He added: “I mean, that’s the interview. A hundred thousand (dollars) on ‘Izzy.’ I’m riding with the king. You see it? Hundred thousand; let’s go. And it’s blessed.”
Adesanya’s reputation as a UFC megastar and his widespread popularity in combat sports cannot be overstated. Adesanya has captured the attention and admiration of audiences worldwide, including celebrity fans like hip-hop icon Drake and NFL star Odell Beckham Jr.
Speaking of spending big money on UFC bouts, Drake famously lost 2 million Canadian dollars after betting on Israel Adesanya in his last matchup with Alex Pereira.
Adesanya and Pereira have a history of heated competition, with multiple encounters in kickboxing and MMA. Adesanya lost to Pereira via unanimous decision in 2016 and suffered a third-round KO defeat in 2017 in their kickboxing contests. Their most recent match was an MMA bout in November 2022. In the match, Pereira secured a fifth-round TKO to claim the UFC middleweight title, leaving Adesanya with a 0-3 record against him in combat sports.
Despite these losses, Adesanya has remained resolute in his belief of eventual victory against Pereira. On Twitter, he recently shared a quote from the late rapper Nipsey Hussle’s song ‘Last Time That I Checc’d.’
