He’s been involved in some great battles over the years – but what are the very best Israel Adesanya fights in UFC history?
‘Stylebender’ is a former two-time UFC middleweight champion. He’s also one of the most popular fighters in recent memory, in case you didn’t know.
Israel Adesanya fights always serve as quite the occasion. So, we thought it’d be fun to run down ahead of UFC 305 in which Israel Adesanya fights to reclaim the middleweight title.
The 5 Best Israel Adesanya Fights
5) Israel Adesanya vs Paulo Costa
Following a great deal of back and forth between the two men, Paulo Costa finally got his shot at Israel Adesanya in September 2020. In the first round, it was clear to see that there was a real gulf in quality between them. Then, in the second, the Nigerian-born sensation dusted Costa off with an incredible combo that left him in a heap on the canvas.
4) Israel Adesanya vs Derek Brunson
Derek Brunson did not believe in Adesanya’s rise to prominence. In fact, he was pretty confident in saying that he’d get the job done against the rising contender in November 2018. Instead, Israel set Madison Square Garden ablaze with a remarkable performance that concluded with the bout being stopped before the end of the first round.
3) Israel Adesanya vs Alex Pereira 2
Alex Pereira had beaten Adesanya three times across kickboxing and mixed martial arts. So, when they met for a fourth time at UFC 287, fans of the City Kickboxing prodigy feared the worst. Pereira worked away at the leg of his foe, but in an incredible rope-a-dope moment, Pereira fell victim to an incredible overhand shot from Israel that led to an unbelievable knockout.
2) Israel Adesanya vs Robert Whittaker 1
Just six months on from capturing the interim belt, Adesanya marched into enemy territory and challenged Robert Whittaker for the undisputed crown. It was expected to be the toughest fight of his career – but instead, he tore through the reigning king like a hurricane, dropping him twice before the referee stepped in and saved Bobby Knuckles from a further beating.
1) Israel Adesanya vs Kelvin Gastelum
As far as Israel Adesanya fights go, this is the pinnacle. April 13, 2019. Adesanya was expected to defeat Kelvin Gastelum as easily as he had beaten the majority of his previous opponents. Instead, the two shared a contest that is viewed as one of the best fights in UFC history. It ended in a unanimous decision win for Izzy, but the real story is that these men gave a part of their souls to this showdown. In other words, they were willing to die.
