Brad Tavares Says It’s Too Much, Too Soon for Israel Adesanya to Face Him Right Now

Brad Tavares will be the first to admit he didn’t expect to face Israel Adesanya next.

Following four straight wins including a TKO victory in his most recent fight, Tavares had his sights set on a ranked competitor that would put him one step closer towards his ultimate goal to fight for a UFC title

In fact, Tavares hoped to face a former champion who at the time was contemplating one more fight before calling it a career.

“I wanted to fight Michael Bisping. I wanted a big named fight, a former champion, a guy who’s in the top five,” Tavares told MMAWeekly. “That’s the fight I wanted, that’s the fight I was trying to get, that’s the fight I was after but after it’s all said and done, I’m a fighter, I’m paid to fight. I’m not really here to pick and choose.

“This is the fight they wanted to make so he’s just the next victim. He’s the guy that’s standing in my way of getting to the top.”

Adesanya has made quite an impression since first being signed by the UFC after a stellar career on the regional fight circuit where he was known for his flashy knockouts that added up to quite the highlight reel.

Through his first two fights inside the Octagon, Adesanya has gone 2-0 but hasn’t been able to pull off those same kinds of jaw-dropping moves that first got him noticed before signing with the UFC.

Of course, Adesanya still has plenty of time to develop but Tavares says the promotion is doing him no favors by throwing him to the lions this early in his career.

“Don’t get me wrong, I respect Israel. I feel like he is one of those guys that eventually one day he may be able to be one of the bigger guys in the sport because of how flashy he is but he has never fought anybody like me,” Tavares said. “He’s never fought somebody that is as skilled as me. He has never fought somebody that has the kind of experience than I have.

“I feel like he bit off a lot more than he can chew. It will be apparent on July 6.”

Often times hype results in unrealistic expectations and that’s what Tavares believes is surrounding Adesanya through only two fights in his UFC career.

Given the proper time to grow, Tavares could see Adesanya as a future star but just being talked about doesn’t necessarily mean that will translate into wins in the UFC.

“I think it’s like that with a lot of guys. Not everybody can be the next Conor McGregor,” Tavares said. “With that being said, Conor McGregor is much more skilled than Israel Adesanya. He came on the scene and he said things and he got these fights but he was able to prove it and work his way right to a title shot. You’ve seen the hype trains get derailed before.

“Nothing against Sage Northcutt but he was one of the most recent ones who came on the scene and had all this hype and two fights in he gets submitted. Then all of a sudden he wasn’t ready. It will be another thing like that.”

Tavares says he ‘absolutely’ has not seen anything that has impressed him about Adesanya through his first two UFC fights but he’s prepared for the best opponent possible when they step in the cage together on Friday night in Las Vegas.

Tavares knows after 16 fights and eight years that he belongs in the UFC. He can’t say the same thing about Adesanya yet.

“Regardless of how good he gets, I always say this — it’s one thing to make it to the UFC, it’s a completely different animal in itself to stay in the UFC. To stay competitive,” Tavares said. “How many times have you seen guys on the regional circuit, undefeated, 10 or 11-0, all these first round knockouts and then they come into the UFC and go 0-3 and right back out.

“The UFC is the cream of the crop, the top of the top.”