Nigerian-Kiwi UFC fighter Israel Adesanya praised the efforts of his training partner Dan Hooker, after his brutal loss to Edson Barboza earlier this month.
Hooker, 28, earned praise from across the mixed martial arts world after his loss, continuing to fight despite copping a barrage of blows during the early stages of the bout.
Hooker's efforts even earned him special praise from UFC boss, Dana White.
Speaking to 1 NEWS today, Adesanya joined in with the plaudits for Hooker's bravery in defeat.
"It was just one of those nights, he got caught early," Adesanya began.
"When you get hit like that, your cardio drops a bit, he was just a step behind.
"He's too tough for his own good sometimes, it was a hard fight but we're all proud of him.
"At the end of the day, we're still his team. After my knockout loss, I remember I was like 'I'm fine, my team still love me, my dog still loves me, my family still loves me' and that's all that matters."
Adesanya is also adamant that Hooker will come back a stronger fighter after the loss, saying: "it's a hard game, there's ups and downs, smiles and frowns."
"We've all been through it, we always bounce back. No matter what, we always bounce back."
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