The Takedown | UFC 253: Israel Adesanya consigns the ‘EA curse’ with historic performance to cement superstar status
- UFC 4 video game cover star Adesanya tweets ‘what EA curse?’ after emphatic victory over Paulo Costa on Fight Island
- Undefeated middleweight champ hammers home that he’s something special, if it wasn’t already abundantly clear
There is a playful narrative that’s been floating around the gaming community since the nineties. It’s known as the “EA curse”. Electronic Arts is responsible for several iconic sports games ranging from Fifa to Madden NFL and of course, the UFC games.
Fans began to see a pattern of bad things happening to the athletes who were chosen to grace the covers. In the case of UFC fighters, Ronda Rousey, Conor McGregor and Jorge Masvidal all lost their next fights after being featured.
That would not be the case for Israel Adesanya who broke the supposed curse in some style at UFC 253. It’s no surprise “The Last Stylebender” (20-0) broke the mould – he’s been doing that since the day he arrived in the UFC.
Sunday’s second-round TKO win over Paulo Costa on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi was the 31-year-old’s second successful defence of his middleweight title and it felt like a landmark moment.
If it wasn’t already abundantly clear before, then this is the fight that hammered it home – Adesanya is something special.
