Israel Adesanya Sets Aside Eight-Year Rivalry to Back Marvin Vettori at UFC 332
Israel Adesanya is pulling for old rival Marvin Vettori to snap a four-fight losing streak against Ismail Naurdiev at UFC 332.
Israel Adesanya wants Marvin Vettori to win tonight. If you have followed these two for the last eight years, that sentence alone is worth a double take.
Adesanya told MMA Sucka that he is rooting for Vettori heading into UFC 332, where the Italian faces Ismail Naurdiev in Salt Lake City. "I want him to win," Adesanya said. "It's been a while, spirit. When you win, I win."
Vettori, 33, enters the fight on a brutal four-fight losing streak. He has dropped decisions to Jared Cannonier, Roman Dolidze, and Brendan Allen, and was stopped by Brunno Ferreira last December. It is the worst run of his career and puts him in must-win territory tonight.
The rivalry between the two stretches back to their first fight, which ended in a controversial split decision. Vettori earned a rematch by stringing together five straight wins, but Adesanya took a clear unanimous decision at UFC 263. Even after both fights were settled, Vettori continued to publicly criticize the former middleweight champion for years.
So what changed? Per MMA Sucka, Adesanya acknowledged setting the feud aside after Vettori's younger brother Patrick died in a house fire in April 2025. "I think he still hates me. I don't know why," Adesanya said. "But nah, I respect him."
Vettori's fight against Naurdiev was originally scheduled for June but was pushed back due to a rib injury.
This is one of those moments that reminds you these guys are actual human beings underneath all the trash talk and social media warfare.
Adesanya and Vettori genuinely did not like each other. The press conferences were heated, the callouts were personal, and Vettori held onto that grudge like a family heirloom. But losing a brother changes everything. Some things are bigger than a rivalry over a belt neither of them holds anymore.
As for the fight itself, I think Vettori gets it done tonight. Four straight losses is ugly, but three of those were close decisions against solid competition. Naurdiev is the right opponent to get back on track against. If Vettori cannot beat him, it might be time to start having a different conversation about his future in the UFC. I am pulling for him too.
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