David Onama's deliberate decision to replicate Israel Adesanya's iconic celebration after his victory at UFC Jacksonville was a premeditated choice.
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David Onama’s deliberate decision to replicate Israel Adesanya’s iconic celebration after his victory at UFC Jacksonville indicates that it was a premeditated choice rather than an impulsive act.
With a calculated intention, Onama (11-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) had meticulously planned to pay tribute to the reigning UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, following his remarkable second-round knockout victory over Gabriel Santos (10-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on Saturday.
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In a moment of triumph over Santos, Onama replicated Adesanya’s celebratory gesture from his UFC 287 title triumph over Alex Pereira in April. Mirroring Adesanya’s actions, Onama vividly portrayed pulling out an imaginary bow and shooting arrows toward his vanquished opponent.
“That’s my guy, Izzy,” Onama said during the post-fight news conference. “Izzy fought a Brazilian and I was like, ‘I’m going to do what Izzy did. I’m going to knock this kid out then I’m going to celebrate like Izzy.’ And it showed, so.”
Onama’s triumph carried significant significance as he was bestowed with the Performance of the Night accolade. The win came at a crucial juncture for Onama, who had experienced a setback in August with a defeat against Nate Landwehr. Complicating matters further, his career was disrupted due to the inquiry involving James Krause, the coach at Glory MMA. Consequently, Onama had to make the difficult decision to relocate gyms, ultimately choosing Factory X in Denver as his new training base.
Despite the hurdles he faced, Onama expressed that his decision to switch gyms has proven to be fruitful for his career. He is enthusiastic about the opportunities that lie ahead and firmly believe that the team at Factory X will enable him to unlock his maximum potential. At 29 years old, Onama is eager to embrace the promising future that awaits him.
“I’m going to go back to the gym on Monday and just keep sharpening my tools and get better,” Onama said. “I’m not rushing anything at all. My time is going to come, and I’m going to keep getting better when that time comes.”
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