Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya recently opened up about his approach to grappling and the importance of checking one’s ego on the mats. Speaking on Joe Rogan’s podcast, Adesanya reflected on his journey learning jiu-jitsu and wrestling to round out his striking-based skillset.
“I had to kill that ego to really be great at this game,” Adesanya said. “I knew for a fact I couldn’t beat some nerds in pajamas, so that was for me my ‘okay, humble yourself and learn how to grapple.'”
The Nigerian-born New Zealander admitted he initially struggled with grappling after transitioning from kickboxing. However, he credits his willingness to put aside his ego and embrace being a beginner for his growth on the ground.
“I sucked at first and then I got better,” Adesanya explained. “I never have shown too much of my grappling skills ’cause they never really put me in a position to show as much as I need to.”
While known primarily for his dynamic striking, Adesanya has steadily improved his grappling defense throughout his UFC career. He believes staying humble and coachable on the mats has been key.
“I’m a purple belt now but I’m like, I’m a purple belt, I know I’m dangerous, but it’s like nah, I’m not like a – there’s levels,” he said. “There’s levels to belts, you know? There’s some purple belts, blue belts who can kick my ass.”
Adesanya emphasized the importance of leaving one’s ego at the door when learning a new skillset like grappling. By approaching it with an open mind, he’s been able to steadily evolve into a more well-rounded fighter capable of defending takedowns and submissions from high-level grapplers.
The former champ’s mindset serves as a valuable lesson for strikers looking to improve their ground game – check the ego, embrace being a beginner again, and trust the process of gradual improvement through consistent training.
