Liverpool’s star forward Mohamed Salah is known for his incredible goal-scoring feats, but lately, it’s his celebrations that have caught fans’ attention. The club’s all-time top scorer has been using the ‘bow and arrow’ celebration after finding the back of the net, leaving many curious about its origin.
When asked about it, Salah revealed a surprising source of inspiration: UFC star Israel Adesanya. Salah shared that his latest celebratory moves are a tribute to Adesanya’s epic knockout of Alex Pereira at UFC 287.
Adesanya, after finally securing a win against Alex Pereira in combat sport, acted as if he was pulling out three bows from his back and then proceeded to shoot them at the motionless Pereira. This celebration was ironically an extension of Pereira’s walkout routine, where he shoots an arrow toward the octagon as a part of his moniker as an Amazonian warrior.
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Needless to say, when Salah credited it to Adesanya, fans had a lot to say about it.
One fan pointed out the original creator of this celebration saying, “It’s literally Pereira’s celebration”. Another fan couldn’t contain his excitement over the fact that Mo Salah was an MMA fan and said, “My world’s colliding I love you both @mosalah @stylebender”. For another fan, Salah’s explanation cemented something else for him. He said, “This is yet another reason why Mo is the best and why Liverpool are so captivating. Egyptian King!”.
Another fan asserted that Izzy best never walk alone anymore and said, “Israel better be Liverpool man from now on”.
‘The Last Style Bender’, one of the UFC’s biggest stars, however, is busy navigating a new phase in his MMA career.
Izzy claims only few fights left in him
After losing to Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305 by fourth-round submission, marking his second consecutive defeat, Adesanya finds himself outside the middleweight title picture for the first time in years.
However, “The Last Stylebender” isn’t dwelling on the setbacks. Instead, he’s embracing the opportunity to fight without the pressure of defending a title.
Reflecting on his future on the Flagrant podcast, Adesanya shared that he’s focused on fighting for fun, showcasing his skills, and ticking off items on his MMA bucket list, including his goal to secure a submission victory.
At 35, Adesanya acknowledges he’s over the halfway point of his career. “I know I’m a few years away, maybe three, but I definitely don’t want to be fighting at 40,” he said, signaling a timeline for his eventual farewell to the sport.
