Issue 199
August 2023
There aren’t any better or more technically outstanding athletes in the UFC than Israel Adesanya, and “The Last Stylebender” has been proving that fact ever since he arrived on the big stage back in 2018. Simon Head picks out five of the performances that have helped solidify Adesanya’s legacy as one of the greatest UFC middleweight champions of all time.
Rob Wilkinson, UFC 221: Romero vs. Rockhold, February 11, 2018
Adesanya's Octagon debut saw him face off against Australian Rob Wilkinson in a bout between two strikers with very different fighting styles, with Adesanya's sharp kickboxing going up against Wilkinson's heavy-handed boxing.
The contrast in styles was apparent as they settled into their work at UFC 221, with Adesanya's striking just too sharp, too slick, too good for Wilkinson, as the Kiwi picked apart the Australian with punches and knees en route to a second-round TKO finish in Perth, Australia.
Adesanya's display earned him a debut victory, and a Performance of the Night bonus, as he made an instant impact on the UFC middleweight division.
Kelvin Gastelum, UFC 236: Holloway vs. Poirier 2, April 13, 2019
When Adesanya looks back at his career, it’s likely he’ll take a little more time remembering his epic UFC 236 clash with Kelvin Gastelum as he got off the floor in Round 1 to eventually capture a unanimous decision win after an incredible five rounds in Atlanta.
Adesanya was caught early and forced to touch down after a Gastelum blitz in the opening round, but “The Last Stylebender” responded in kind by sending Gastelum to the canvas in the second stanza. It set the scene for a thrilling back-and-forth war that saw Adesanya drop Gastelum on multiple occasions in the final round as he eventually ran out the unanimous decision winner.
That victory in Atlanta saw him crowned the interim UFC middleweight champion, and put him on a collision course with the undisputed champ, Australia’s Robert Whittaker, with the pair facing off in a huge main event in Melbourne six months later.
Robert Whittaker, UFC 243: Whittaker vs. Adesanya, October 6, 2019
After capturing the interim crown, Adesanya faced undisputed champion Robert Whittaker in a bout that catapulted “The Last Stylebender” to the top of the MMA world.
Not only did Adesanya defeat the universally-respected Australian, but he did so in such an emphatic fashion that his status as the world’s premier middleweight was beyond question.
His entrance into the arena was spectacular, as he joined some of his friends from back home in New Zealand for a dance routine before he made his walk to the Octagon. Then, when he stepped into the cage, he delivered an even more spectacular performance.
Adesanya stayed on his guard early on as Whittaker loaded up in a bid to knock the Nigerian-born Kiwi out of his stride, then, in the final seconds of the opening round, he dropped Whittaker to the canvas with a huge right hand. It proved to be a sneak peek of what was to come.
In Round 2, Adesanya connected again with a big right hook and, as the pair traded shots in the center of the Octagon, Adesanya countered a big Whittaker right hand with a blistering right-left combination that knocked out the champion at the 3:55 mark.
It was emphatic. It was spectacular. And it proved that Israel Adesanya was the best in the world at 185.
Paulo Costa, UFC 253: Adesanya vs. Costa, September 27, 2020
Adesanya's stellar form continued through the pandemic as he produced a masterclass of a performance to defeat hulking Brazilian contender Paulo Costa at UFC 253.
The fight took place on "UFC Fight Island" on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, where Adesanya showcased his fight IQ, as well as his technique, as he hammered Costa's legs with kicks through the first round, then turned to his punches in Round 2 as he picked apart the Brazilian from range.
Then, with Costa desperately looking to stem the tide, he stepped into close range to land one of his big shots, but was met by a perfectly-timed counter right hand that dropped him to the canvas.
Adesanya then followed his man to the mat and applied the finishing touches with ground strikes to force the second-round finish.
The win took Adesanya’s perfect professional record to 20-0, as he registered the second defense of his 185-pound title.
Alex Pereira 2, UFC 287: Pereira vs. Adesanya 2, April 8, 2023
Adesanya's championship reign came to an abrupt end at the hands of his former kickboxing nemesis Alex Pereira at UFC 281.
Adesanya looked to be on his way to a decision win, but was sensationally stopped with strikes in the final round as Pereira captured the middleweight title in New York.
Despite the crushing nature of his TKO defeat, Adesanya bounced back and took an immediate rematch against the Brazilian knockout artist just five months later at UFC 287.
This time, it was Adesanya who produced the goods on fight night as he turned the table on a confident Pereira to knock out the Brazilian in stunning fashion in Miami.
Adesanya's celebration, mimicking the Pereira's "archer" move, saw him fire a host of imaginary arrows into his unconscious opponent, showed just how big a moment it was in his career. Against a fighter who had stopped him twice before, who many had claimed had his Adesanya's number, "The Last Stylebender" produced a knockout for the ages to finish Pereira and return to the middleweight summit.
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