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Adesanya still sad, reveals financial struggles after Pereira loss
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
UFC fighter Israel Adesanya has opened up on a dark period in his career when he was left financially poor following a loss to Alex Pereira during his kickboxing days in China.
The Nigerian-born Kiwi UFC star and former middleweight champion, known for his flashy style and confidence in the octagon, shared a surprising tale of hardship on The JRE podcast, narrating how he found himself in dire straits after the promotion he was fighting for suddenly stopped offering him bouts.
“When I was fighting in China and I lost to Alex, they stopped giving me fights. I think, at the time, I was the highest-paid foreign fighter in China, but then they stopped giving me fights,” Adesanya revealed.
He pleaded with the promotion, saying, “Look, I have seven more fights on my contract. Can I at least just get three? I just need three,” as his funds were rapidly depleting.
The situation became so desperate that Adesanya was down to his last $500, barely enough to cover a week’s groceries. It was at this low point that his coach, Eugene Bareman, stepped in as a financial lifeline.
Adesanya recounted the emotional moment when Bareman instructed him to check his bank account, leaving the fighter in tears of gratitude.
This revelation sheds light on the unpredictable nature of a fighter’s career and the importance of having a supportive team. It also contrasts sharply with Adesanya’s recent high-profile UFC career, which has seen him win and lose the middleweight title multiple times.
Despite recent setbacks, including losses to Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis, ‘The Last Stylebender’ is not ready to throw in the towel.
In a recent interview on The Adam Carolla Show, Adesanya expressed his desire to fight once more before the year’s end or early next year.
“At the moment, I want to fight one more time before the end of this year, or early next year. But I don’t know yet. I’m just training, building off where we left off,” Adesanya stated.
The fighter also candidly addressed his recent loss to du Plessis, admitting to a tactical error when he pointed at the ground after slipping.
As Adesanya plots his comeback, fans and pundits alike are eager to see what the next chapter holds for the dynamic fighter who has proven his resilience both in and out of the octagon.
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I never said churches should be dismantled -Peter Obi
By Gloria Ikibah
The Labour Party leader, Peter Obi, has responded to what he described as a “mischievous distortion” of his recent statements on religion and productivity.
The clarification follows reactions to Obi’s recent interview, which some headlines falsely suggested called for the “dismantling of churches” in Nigeria.
According to a statement by the Spokesperson Peter Obi Media Reach (POMR), Ibrahim Umar, this misrepresentation “greatly overturned and grossly distorted” the true message Obi intended to convey.
Umar emphasized that Obi, known for his strong faith and respect for all religions, sought to address how Nigerians could make religion more effective in their daily lives. In the interview, Obi highlighted the biblical teaching that “faith without works is unhelpful,” referencing Apostle James’ words in the Bible (James 2:14 and James 2:24). His point, they said, was to encourage Nigerians to balance worship with productive work.
“When Obi said that he would turn night vigil into a production night, he was only stressing the importance of worshipping God through work,” the statement read.
Obi’s office explained that he meant night vigils should not replace productive effort, aligning with his message of turning Nigeria “from consumption to production.”
POMR cited more biblical references to support Obi’s view on the need for work, including Proverbs 14:23, which states, “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.” The statement added that in the Bible, Jesus chose his disciples from among working individuals, such as fishermen and tax collectors, rather than those who were idle.
Obi’s media team stated that his comment that “politics and church… have to be dismantled” was a call for change in worship practices that encourage a productive mindset while maintaining faith. His other statement, “We are going to turn night vigil into night shift so that people can be productive,” was intended to inspire Nigerians to see work as a form of worship.
Umar therefore urged the public to disregard the “mischievous” headlines and understand Obi’s message as one that seeks to build a productive society.
“OBI’S message should resonate properly away from the intention of mischief makers,” Umar stated, reinforcing Obi’s campaign promise to drive Nigeria towards a more production-focused future.
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