Israel Adesanya happy for Robert Whittaker, Diaz vs. Masvidal medical suspensions & Joe Pyfer disgusted with fans
By Amy Kaplan
I'll be breaking down the news from around the combat sports world and giving you my take on it in this new daily column. Check back every morning to see the biggest or most obscure headlines and what I think about them below.
Israel Adesanya happy to see former rival Robert Whittaker getting a win
Robert Whittaker lost his UFC title to Israel Adesanya in 2019 and then lost again in their rematch in 2022 but he's now on a two-fight win streak and there's no one happier for him than Adesanya. “It [Whittaker’s knockout of Aliskerov] was beautiful. Robbie’s that guy. We fought twice. We always have history, but it was good to see him back in the win column, and he’s coming for me, so I’ve got to stay ready," he told TODAY.
It's been an incredibly slow news week without a UFC fight and kind of a lame one ahead. But seeing fighters speaking well of their former opponents never gets old. Generally, there's a bit of a backhanded compliment when this kind of thing happens but I generally think Adesanya is legitimately happy for Whittaker. Losing your own title humbles a man.
Diaz vs. Masvidal medical suspensions
The medical suspensions from the Nate Diaz vs. Jorge Masvidal fight have been released and neither of the former UFC fighters were given significant time off. Here's what the top three fights were given:
- Nate Diaz: 6 day mandatory suspension
- Jorge Masvidal: 6 day mandatory suspension
- Shane Mosley Jr.: 6 day mandatory suspension
- Daniel Jacobs: 60 day suspension unless cleared by a physician for a laceration to his left eyelid. 6 day mandatory suspension
- Anthony Pettis: 4 day mandatory suspension
- Chris Avila: 4 day mandatory suspension
Six days seems really short, 14-30 would have been better considering their ages but I'm no doctor. Perhaps the low number was due to there not being any cuts or injuries. The fact that no blood was drawn was a miracle considering how easily Diaz gets cut. The fight was better than expected and I'd love to see a trilogy fight between the two.
Joe Pyfer is disgusted with MMA fans
While appearing on The MMA Hour, Joe Pyfer expressed his frustrations with MMA fans after they weren't happy with his win over Jack Hermansson in February. “There’s really no high from this one,” Pyfer said. “I don’t know what it is. I think I’m so disgusted with MMA fans that there’s really no joy in it for me now. I just feel like a lot of people are all fake now. So after getting sh*t on because I came up short in the decision, I just don’t have that — I don’t know. I’m just being honest, I don’t know."
Pyfer better put on his big boy pants if he's still worried about what fans said in February. He's not wrong, at all, the fans of this sport are heathens who will turn on you the first chance they get. But if he wants to be a fighter, he has to turn that off and stop looking at what the fans are saying. I know that's harder said than done though.