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This Iconic Voice Moment Made Adam Levine Tell Blake Shelton, "I'd Kick Your Ass!"
The stars are two of the show's original Coaches from when the series first started in 2011.
Throughout 25 unforgettable seasons there have been countless iconic Voice moments. From Season 1 winner Javier Colon propelling Adam Levine to his first of many titles to Reba McEntire stunning Lainey Wilson with an invitation into the Grand Ole Opry in Season 25. But one moment in particular always lives rent-free in fans' heads.
Who remembers when Levine told Shelton that he'd kick his ass?
In 2019, The Voice uploaded a delightful retrospective on the "frenemy" relationship between the two legendary Coaches and highlighted one particularly spicy back-and-forth exchange in one of the show's earliest seasons. Both stars were original Coaches in the first season alongside Christina Aguilera and CeeLo Green.
During their attempts to convince a contestant to join their respective teams, the two men got a little contentious when Shelton interrupted Levine during an impassioned speech.
"I may not be your first choice as someone to work with, you know, you're clearly... " Levine said before getting cut off by Shelton.
"Of course not," Shelton said, implying that Levine had no chance of convincing the contestant to join Team Adam.
The interruption — and snark — proved too much for Levine to overlook, and the Maroon 5 frontman fired a shot at his fellow Coach that shocked viewers.
"Man, if you weren't 6'5, I'd kick your ass!" he calmly said with a smile.
Of course, Levine never made good on that promise, seeing as how Shelton never shrunk in size — and because the two former Coaches actually have had a very close friendship behind the scenes for years!
Adam Levine and Blake Shelton have a real-life friendship
Although things get intense on set, the "frenemy" relationship between Levine and Shelton is about as genuine as it gets. In an interview with The Tennessean in 2017, Shelton revealed how strong their bond really is.
"We are constantly at each other's throats, and sometimes we really do get mad at each other," he explained. "We're those two guys you knew in high school where we have this bond that is unexplainable. It brings out the best and worst in both of us. It truly is an explosive relationship, and I know every trick to get under his skin. He's one of the best friends that I have, but I still want to kill him sometimes."
Levine echoed Shelton's feelings during a speech at Shelton's Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2023.
"I'm really proud of you, man, and I love you," he said. "It's been a long time since I've seen you and I love you and I'm proud of you. And even though you're an idiot in so many ways, I just love you and I'm happy to be here and it's an honor to be here for you, and this is a big deal, and I love you, man."
The Voice returns for Season 26 this fall
Although The Voice returns for Season 26 this fall on NBC, Levine and Shelton will sadly not be part of the festivities as Coaches.
Defending champion McEntire, a returning Gwen Stefani, and newcomers Michael Bublé and Snoop Dogg will take over Coaching duties in Season 26, but fans won't have to wait long for Levine to come back. After a five year hiatus, the rocker is returning for Season 27!
