The fighter has since been flagged by USADA for a drug testing violation and is currently on the sidelines, which Vettori says is messing up his life.
“...it sucks honestly, I wouldn’t hope (for) this situation for my worst enemy. It is messing up my life, I’m not hiding that it’s messing up my life because obviously fighting is what I have been doing for the last eight/nine years. It’s basically what I do best, it’s when I’m at best and it’s just crazy…it’s just crazy. I’ve never stopped training, I’ve actually improved so much (that) it’s unbelievable. I just don’t want these years of my life to slip away because of something that I haven’t, that I’ve never done. I know I’m about to peak, I’m at the peak of my career. I just don’t want this thing to last much longer because I know…I feel great, I wanna fight. I’ve been training twice a day, everyday…not like I had a camp, like I could be ready to fight in three weeks…four weeks time. But (for) like a proper fight, any fight. Not just like (against) a bum, but like I’m a going to fight even if I’m not ready. I could be ready to fight anybody in like four weeks and I feel like I’m a different fighter in a way, I’m so much more mentally and physically ready than before. So yeah, that’s my situation for now,” says Vettori in an exclusive interview with Fightful’s James Lynch.
No official suspension has been announced by USADA at this time, despite the fighter failing the drug test almost six months ago.
Israel Adesanya is fighting former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva later this month at UFC 234, a bout that Vettori thinks a past opponent will win.
“I think Anderson if it was a few years ago, I think now it’s a fight that Israel can take. It’s a great fight for him because Anderson’s gonna stay there for his game, I don’t know him personally…but Anderson is not gonna shy away from anybody’s striking. That’s the ways its done, even if he has to…even if has to lose, he’s gonna lose and he doesn’t care. His confidence on his striking is not gonna go away because of some new kid coming in, so he’s gonna stand for his game, but I think Israel is on the peak of his career and Anderson is not anymore. I have so much respect for him, but his body is not the same (as it was) three, four, five years ago and his chin (isn’t) either. I think Israel does it again and in a nice fashion to because Anderson’s gonna give him the opportunity,” says Vettori.
Vettori currently holds a 2-2-1 record under the UFC banner, but he hasn’t picked up a victory in almost two years.
