In the realm of mixed martial arts (MMA), forming enduring bonds with fellow fighters is a rarity. However, Tyson Pedro discovered a profound connection akin to brotherhood with none other than the UFC Middleweight Champion, Israel Adesanya, renowned as the "Last Style Bender."
Over the past several months, Pedro has been training alongside Adesanya, as both athletes readied themselves for their respective fights at UFC 293. The Last Style Bender is gearing up to defend his championship title against Sean Strickland in the main event, while Pedro is set to feature on the main card in a Light Heavyweight matchup against Anton Turkalj.
While their training partnership has flourished, Pedro recounts a pivotal moment when Adesanya came to his aid during a challenging period in his career. Following a loss at UFC 284 to Modestas Bukauskas, the 31-year-old fighter faced a barrage of online harassment and negativity.
Pedro shared how Adesanya stepped in to offer guidance and assistance during this trying time, showing him effective ways to cope with online abuse. Pedro firmly believes that fighters are responsible for managing the energy directed at them through online comments, whether positive or negative.
Pedro expressed, "Israel Adesanya actually helped me out a lot with it. I spoke to him extensively about it because he, too, receives a considerable amount of hate. We discussed this just two days ago. Some of the messages were quite personal. He demonstrated how he handles such situations. It's a method similar to how I eventually dealt with it because it was my first experience with this level of hate. It's an inherent aspect of the sport."
"With the advent of social media and the digital age, everyone now has a platform to express their opinions. It's part of the game. But everyone is contributing their energy, whether it's positive or negative. It's about your perspective on it and how you can harness it for your benefit in a fight. Whether they want to see you knocked out or want to see you knock out your opponent, they still want to watch," Pedro elaborated.
Turning to Adesanya as a person beyond the confines of the octagon, Pedro speaks with admiration, describing him as a brother with a beautiful soul. He believes that the Last Stylebender is often misunderstood, considering his immense fame and success.
"We all have an alter ego that we adopt. I have my own, and I learned from Izzy. He transforms into the Last Style Bender. We create these alter egos, but outside of that, we're brothers. I genuinely love that guy. He possesses a beautiful soul and is a wonderful individual. Sometimes, when someone achieves such fame and prominence, you might assume they'd forget about others."
"It's truly fascinating to witness how he supports the gym and everyone in it, from the first newcomer to the seasoned fighters. I think he's misunderstood, as many people only see what's on the surface or form opinions without truly knowing the person behind it all. Nobody really knows anyone, right? It's the same with Israel. People only see what they want to see and concoct stories in their minds," Pedro expressed.
As for the prospect of facing his brother Adesanya inside the octagon, Pedro quickly dismisses the idea, offering a lighthearted response. He emphasizes that he would never engage in a fight with anyone from their gym, especially not with his brother Adesanya.
"No, never in my life. Probably because he'd whoop my ass. There are two factors: firstly, he's moved up to light heavyweight, and secondly, I wouldn't be able to make middleweight. He's my brother. It's like saying I would never fight any of my brothers from our gym. There's absolutely no reason for me to fight any of my gemmates," Pedro firmly stated.
