Israel Adesanya Addresses Possible Jump To WWE After UFC 276 Entrance

Israel Adesanya is a wrestling fan at heart. While defending his title in a decision win against Jared Cannonier on July 2 in the main event of UFC 276, the UFC Middleweight Champion not only entered the arena in a walkout patterned on WWE Hall of Famer The Undertaker — complete with the Deadman's music, a wide-brimmed hat, and even an urn — but did so in front of WWE's Vince McMahon, Stephanie McMahon, Triple H, and Pat McAfee, as well as AEW's Tony Khan and Jim Ross.

The Undertaker-inspired presentation happening right in front of the McMahons was a complete coincidence, according to an interview with BT Sports. "I had no idea the McMahons were in the house tonight, that was kinda cool," Adesanya said.

"I'm a kid who grew up during the Attitude Era," Adesanya continued, saying he likes to listen to wrestling themes like Steve Austin's or Batista's during his Wednesday wrestling practice. "Just to like get in the mood while we wrestle — we're in the trenches, and these things just come to me."

BT Sports' Caroline Pierce then asked Adesanya about the possibility of heading to WWE, like fellow UFC stars Ronda Rousey and Brock Lesnar before him.

"Definitely that's something I will try my hand at later on," Adesanya said. "Just for fun."

Adesanya seems content in UFC, saying WWE wouldn't be "a full-time job," but he cites the entertainment factor as well as his childhood fandom as a reason for his certainty. "I grew up jumping off the couch, broke my arm, doing shooting stars. I'm living my dream."

If Adesanya does eventually make his way to WWE, he would join not only Rousey and Lesnar, but Bellator MMA fighter Valerie Loureda, who recently signed a deal with the company after attending WrestleMania 38 and falling in love with the spectacle.