April 14, 2019

State Farm Arena, Atlanta, Georgia

UFC 236

By Ray Klerck

 The perfect fight is like a unicorn riding a skateboard through rush-hour traffic – rare, chaotic, and always unforgettable. But when Israel Adesanya met Kelvin Gastelum in Atlanta, the closest thing to martial arts excellence unfolded in an almost mythical fashion. Despite a baying crowd of 14,000 people, probably not one blink was shared between them. What was supposed to be a pit stop on the way to Robert Whittaker became a five-round, blood-soaked opera that forced both men to empty their souls and find the hidden parts of their souls that aren’t usually called upon. Gastelum, the beast who had recently switched off Bisping’s lights and beat Ronaldo Souza with a Fight of the Night bonus, turned himself into a battering ram and refused to bow to the hype. Adesanya, undefeated and fresh off a matrix-like win over Anderson Silva, had never been in this deep. As the UFC 236’s co-main event unfolded, they tore each other apart with the kind of precision and power that will be remembered forever.  

WHEN MOMENTUM MET MADNESS

The fight was billed as a classic striker vs. striker match-up – a rare delight every fan can get behind. However, it quickly unraveled into something else entirely. Gastelum made it dirty in the best way possible. In round one, he floored Adesanya with a short hook that made the then-undefeated Kiwi dance on spaghetti legs. The fans lost their minds, and suddenly, the betting odds looked foolish. At the time, Adesanya was nothing if not unshakeable, and in round two, he returned the favor. A step-through overhand right found its home and dropped Gastelum in kind. They weren’t exchanging rounds; they were swapping futures. Round three was an evenly matched chess game played that left both looking as though they’d been using steel chairs instead of pawns. Adesanya leaned into his reach advantage, tagging Gastelum with jabs, knees, and spinning elbows. Gastelum just kept walking through the artillery, daring the sniper to come closer. Each man seemed to refuse the idea of backing off, delivering what might be the most evenly contested round in middleweight history.

A HEAD KICK FROM THE GODS

Gastelum’s game plan in round four looked like it was written after three espressos and a rough breakup. Early on, he delivered a head kick that spun Adesanya’s body position sideways and nearly put him on ice. The shot shifted momentum and brought with it the weight of a thousand "what-ifs." He had Adesanya seriously hurt. On the back foot. Dangling by a thread. Just as the coronation seemed as if it might belong to the underdog, Gastelum fumbled the crown.

Instead of continuing his onslaught, Gastelum shot for a takedown with Adesanya’s back pinned to the cage. It was a decision that he probably dwells on to this day. That single choice allowed Adesanya to reset and compose himself. It was the moment the tide changed. The Nigerian-born striker wasn’t ready to hand over his undefeated record without digging deep to find something inside himself that hadn’t needed to be activated before. 

"I'M PREPARED TO DIE"

There are moments that make legends, and then there’s that fifth round. Energy is spent. Expectations are high. It’s make or break. There was a moment before it started that became iconic. With his face cut to shreds and the swelling closing one of his eyes, Adesanya looked across the Octagon and muttered, “I’m prepared to die.” Then he walked into the toughest round of his career and dragged Gastelum into the depths of hell. Adesanya dropped him four times in that final round - a UFC title fight record - and closed out the fight in full mount, hammering elbows down with surgical venom. The final seconds were a masterclass in willpower. Gastelum, ever the dogged survivor, refused to quit, even as his body betrayed him. For all his flash and flair, Adesanya proved there was more than style; there was titanium inside his resolve. When the final bell rang, both men looked like they’d been carved from the pages of a thousand war stories.

FREE TO WATCH, PRICELESS TO REMEMBER

The UFC has since released the full fight for free - a gift to those too young to remember or those too bruised by recency bias. It’s a reminder that greatness doesn’t always come with gold. Gastelum didn’t win the belt, but he helped give us one of the greatest fights in MMA history. It was officially inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2025, joining the pantheon of all-time classics. Adesanya would go on to unify the belt against Whittaker and carve out a legacy filled with highlight reels and championships. Gastelum? He stuck around and remained dangerous, never predictable. But for five rounds in 2019, he stood in the fire with a future great - and very nearly came out with the crown. And if you’ve never watched it? Now’s your chance. Bring tissues. And maybe an ice pack.