It’s safe to say Israel Adesanya made an unexpected cameo on the latest EA Sports UFC 6 cover, but how exactly did that happen? The highly anticipated title recently unveiled Alex Pereira and Max Holloway as its official cover athletes after weeks of speculation. The game, set for a June 19 release on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S, marks the first installment since EA Sports UFC 5.
Pereira features on the Standard Edition cover, while Holloway headlines the Ultimate Edition. However, fans quickly noticed a subtle but intriguing detail: Adesanya’s body is partially visible on Pereira’s cover, appearing in the moment he’s being caught by Pereira’s signature left hook. Rather than shy away from it, the former two-time middleweight champion embraced the moment with humor.
Adesanya shared a meme featuring The Deep, portrayed by Chace Crawford from The Boys. In his edited version, the TV screen shows the UFC 6 cover, perfectly aligning with the joke about being cropped out.
In the clip, The Deep is seen drinking in a bar while looking at the television and saying, “Hey, that’s my shoulder. Right there, that’s my fucking shoulder! They cut me from the picture. They can’t just cut me from the fucking picture. They can’t just cut me out.”
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Adesanya also took to Instagram stories with a playful jab at his own legacy, writing: “Who you know been on the cover 3 times?!?!?”
For context, Adesanya previously headlined EA Sports UFC 4 alongside Jorge Masvidal in 2020. He later returned as the exclusive face of the Deluxe Edition for EA Sports UFC 5, while Alexander Volkanovski and Valentina Shevchenko featured on the Standard Edition, further cementing his lasting presence in the UFC gaming franchise.
Meanwhile, Pereira first captured middleweight gold with a dramatic fifth-round TKO comeback over Israel Adesanya at UFC 281 in November 2022. Six months later, the rivalry reached another peak at UFC 287 in Miami, where Adesanya delivered a stunning first-round knockout, earning 2023’s Knockout of the Year, to reclaim the title.
Since then, Pereira has continued his meteoric rise. ‘Poatan’ became a two-time light heavyweight champion and most recently reclaimed the belt with an emphatic 80-second finish of Magomed Ankalaev at UFC 320 this past October. Now, he stands on the brink of history, aiming to become the UFC’s first-ever three-division champion when he faces Ciryl Gane for interim heavyweight gold at the upcoming UFC Freedom 250 card in June.
Meanwhile, Adesanya finds himself in unfamiliar territory. Izzy is currently on a four-fight skid, most recently falling to Joe Pyfer at UFC Seattle, and is still searching for his first Octagon victory since regaining the middleweight title from Pereira in April 2023.
Kshitiz Kumar Singh is a UFC Writer at NY Fights with over three years of experience in sports journalism and content creation. Known for his sharp storytelling and passion for combat sports, he has written in-depth features on stars like Brock Lesnar, Randy Couture, and Ilia Topuria. Before joining NY Fights, Kshitiz worked as a UFC Editor at EssentiallySports while currently serving as a WWE Editor at FirstSportz. His admiration for legends like Georges St-Pierre continues to inspire his detailed and engaging MMA coverage. Whether he’s covering the Octagon or the squared circle, Kshitiz is committed to delivering accurate, high-quality content. Outside the world of sports, he’s a dedicated cinephile, often found practicing monologues from his favorite Al Pacino films, combining his love for cinema with storytelling.