Not Legal! John McCarthy says Israel Adesanya should have been forced to trim his fingernails at UFC 293
Former MMA referee John McCarthy believes Israel Adesanya should’ve been forced to trim his fingernails before UFC 293.
Last weekend at UFC 293, Israel Adesanya lost the UFC middleweight championship. He was beaten by Sean Strickland in a one-sided unanimous decision, leaving many fans and pundits stunned. It was one of the biggest upsets in MMA history, with many just not being able to fathom that Strickland was able to get the job done.
As we know, the build-up to the fight featured a lot of trash talk between both men. Strickland went after Adesanya for many reasons, including his painted nails and his connections to fighting in China.
After a picture was released of what appeared to be Israel having long nails at UFC 293, the aforementioned McCarthy responded on social media.
Nope, not while I was refereeing. Those need to be cut short. https://t.co/skqObch7L5
— Big John McCarthy (@JohnMcCarthyMMA) September 14, 2023
McCarthy questions Adesanya’s nails
When asked about the situation by a fan, McCarthy said the following: “Nope [not legal], not while I was refereeing. Those need to be cut short.”
Some have suggested they aren’t actually that long, and it’s merely an illusion based on how they’ve been painted. Either way, it doesn’t really matter – because the main takeaway here is that ‘Stylebender’ has another mountain to climb.
He was able to reclaim the belt when going up against Alex Pereira. Now, he faces a mammoth challenge, given how beaten up he was by the end of the contest with Strickland.
There are some big adjustments needed and we’re fascinated to see how it all unfolds.
Do you particularly care about the issue with Israel Adesanya’s nails? What do you believe is next for him in the UFC – an immediate rematch for the title, or another fight to earn him that opportunity? Let us know, BJPENN Nation!
