UFC fighter Israel Adesanya issues violent response to Chris Pratt’s criticism: ‘You’re just a fan’

‘I don’t like to go out there and have all that talk, and then just do a little bit of pitter-patter,’ Pratt said of Adesanya’s performance

MMA fighter Israel Adesanya had a terse response for Chris Pratt after the actor criticised him at UFC 276.

Appearing on ESPN after Adesanya’s middleweight bout against Jared Cannonier on Saturday (2 July), Pratt said that Adesanya’s dramatic entrance to the ring did not live up to his performance, despite him taking home the win by unanimous decision.

“I’m going to say this as humbly as I can – I’ve never been in the octagon. I don’t know this game,” Pratt stipulated.

“I’m just an actor. But I don’t like to go out there and have all that talk, and then just do a little bit of pitter-patter. I mean, come on, man. You’ve got to capitalise on that promise of being so badass.”

On Wednesday, the fighter responded with a tweet captioned: “Good morning. I’m the man. You’re just some fan.”

Alongside the message, he included a clip from the 2008 film Wanted in which James McAvoy smashes Pratt in the face with a keyboard and says: “I’m the man.”

Pratt has since responded to Adesanya’s tweet with an apology for his remarks, which he called “hypocritical”.

Pratt has faced criticism online recently over his alleged association with evangelical church Hillsong, the unsubstantiated claim he voted for Donald Trump in the US election and a controversial post he shared about his daughter, Lyla.

After a Men’s Health interview with Pratt was published earlier this week, in which he discussed the criticism and denied ever going to Hillsong, Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn defended Pratt over repeated claims he’s the “worst” Hollywood Chris.

When a person branded Pratt a Trump supporter, the director replied: “Will you guys please quit making up s***?”

This isn’t the first time Gunn has defended his Guardians of the Galaxy lead star.

Pratt can currently be seen in Prime Video series The Terminal List (find The Independent’s review here), and will be in Thor: Love & Thunder, which is released on 8 July.