Israel Adesanya

With a career record of 23 victories and two defeats, Israel Adesanya is the top contender in the UFC middleweight category right now.
Israel Adesanya in a file photo [Image- Twitter]

Israel Mobolaji Odunayo Oluwafemi Temitayo Owolabi Adesanya aka Israel Adesanya was born on July 22, 1989. He is a well-known professional mixed martial artist from New Zealand who also excels in kickboxing and was a former boxer. He is a former UFC Middleweight Champion and now fights in the Middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) as a mixed martial artist.

He has previously been challenged for the Glory Middleweight Championship belt in kickboxing. He is currently ranked first in the UFC middleweight rankings as of November 14, 2022, and fifth in the UFC men's pound-for-pound rankings as of January 17, 2023. In mixed martial arts, Adesanya is recognized as one of the greatest hitters, both offensively and defensively.

NameIsrael Mobolaji Odunayo Oluwafemi Temitayo Owolabi Adesanya
D.O.BJuly 22, 1989
Height 6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight84 kg
OccupationMixed Martial Artist
Professional Debut2010
GirlfriendShana Evers
NicknamesThe Last Stylebender

Background

Adesanya was the oldest of five children when he was born in Lagos, Nigeria. His mother, Taiwo, is a nurse, while his father, Oluwafemi, is an accountant. Adesanya was a student at Chrisland School in Opebi and a member of the Taekwondo club after school until his mother had him withdrawn owing to an injury.

He spent 10 months in Ghana in 1999 with his family, but when he was 10 years old, his family decided to live in Rotorua, New Zealand, where he attended Rotorua Boys’ High School because they wanted their kids to acquire a well-regarded higher education. While still in high school, Adesanya had little interest in athletics; instead, he was drawn to Japanese anime like Death Note and the manga series Naruto.

Adesanya encountered bullying in high school and he blames his subsequent decision to study martial arts for the harassment he endured. Adesanya enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Computer Design program at the Universal College of Learning in Whanganui after finishing high school. He began training in kickboxing at the age of 18 after watching the Muay Thai movie Ong-Bak, which served as his inspiration. Adesanya decided to stop studying two years later in order to pursue a career in kickboxing. He went on to compile a 32-0 amateur record before going professional and competing in China. Adesanya relocated to Auckland, New Zealand, at the age of 21, where he started MMA training at City Kickboxing under Eugene Bareman.

Early Career

Before joining the UFC, Adesanya made his professional MMA debut in 2012 and embarked on an 11-fight winning streak during which he won the AFC Middleweight Championship and the Hex Fight Series Middleweight Championship.

UFC Career

Adesanya made his debut at UFC 221 against Rob Wilkinson, defeating him in the second round via TKO, after signing a contract with the organization in December 2017. Israel would carry on his UFC-winning ways. It would go on a 5-bout winning streak in the organization, beating fighters like Anderson Silva, before facing Kelvin Gastelum for the interim middleweight title at UFC 236. Adesanya would win that fight by unanimous decision.

At UFC 243, Israel faced Robert Whittaker in an attempt to unify the UFC Middleweight Championship; Whittaker was defeated in the second round, becoming the undisputed champion.

At UFC 259, The Last Stylebender faced Jan Blachowicz for Blachowicz’s UFC Light-Heavyweight Championship and lost by Unanimous Decision. This was The Last Stylebender’s sole defeat in mixed martial arts. At UFC 263, Adesanya then transitioned back to the Middleweight division to defend his championship against Marvin Vettori. His championship defense streak now stands at three after he won the fight by Unanimous Decision.

On February 12, 2022, at UFC 271, Adesanya and Robert Whittaker engaged in a rematch for the UFC Middleweight Championship. The rematch was won by unanimous decision for Adesanya. Adesanya competed against Jared Cannonier at UFC 276 on July 2, 2022. He prevailed by unanimous decision in the fight. On November 12, 2022, at UFC 281, Adesanya faced Alex Pereira, who had previously defeated him twice in kickboxing, in what would have been his sixth consecutive championship defense. Adesanya suffered his first defeat at middleweight as he was technically knocked out in the fifth round of the match.

Chqampionships and Accomplishments

Boxing

  • Super 8 Boxing Tournament
    Super 8 III Cruiserweight Champion (eight-man Tournament)
    Super 8 IV Cruiserweight Champion (four-man Tournament)
  • Kickboxing
    King in the Ring
    King in the Ring 86 kg II Champion (Eight-Man Tournament)
    King in the Ring 86 kg III Champion (Eight-Man Tournament)
    King in the Ring 100kgs II Champion (Eight-Man Tournament)
  • Glory
    2016 Glory Middleweight Contender Tournament Winner (Four-Man Tournament)

Awards

  • Combat Press
    2017 Fight of the Year (vs. Alex Pereira)

Mixed martial arts

  • Ultimate Fighting Championship
    UFC Middleweight Championship (One time)
    Five successful title defenses[citation needed]
    Interim UFC Middleweight Championship (One time)
    Performance of the Night (Five times) vs. Rob Wilkinson, Brad Tavares, Derek Brunson, Robert Whittaker, and Paulo Costa
    Fight of the Night (Two times) vs. Anderson Silva and Kelvin Gastelum
    Most Knockdowns in a UFC Title Fight (4)
    The second-longest winning streak in the UFC Middleweight division history (12)
    Second most title fight wins in the UFC Middleweight division history (7)
    Longest average fight time in the UFC Middleweight division history (17.55)
  • Australian Fighting Championship
    AFC Middleweight Champion (one time)
    Hex Fighting Series Middleweight
    Hex Fighting Series Middleweight Champion (one time)
  • MMAJunkie.com
    2018 Newcomer of the Year
    2019 April Fight of the Month vs. Kelvin Gastelum
    2019 Fight of the Year vs. Kelvin Gastelum
    2019 Male Fighter of the Year
  • MMA Fighting
    2018 Breakthrough Fighter of the Year
    2019 Fight of the Year vs. Kelvin Gastelum
    2019 Fighter of the Year
  • CombatPress.com
    2018 Breakout Fighter of the Year
    2019 Male Fighter of the Year
    2019 Fight of the Year vs. Kelvin Gastelum
  • CagesidePress.com
    2019 Fighter of the Year
    2019 Fight of the Year vs. Kelvin Gastelum
  • MMADNA.nl
    2018 Rising Star of the Year
  • The Body Lock
    2019 Fighter of the Year
  • World MMA Awards
    2018 Breakthrough Fighter of the Year
    2019 – July 2020 Charles ‘Mask’ Lewis Fighter of the Year
    2019 – July 2020 International Fighter of the Year
    2021 International Fighter of the Year
  • MMAMania.com
    2019 Fighter of the Year
    2019 Fight of the Year vs. Kelvin Gastelum
  • Halberg Awards
    2019 New Zealand Sportsman of the Year
  • Wrestling Observer Newsletter
    Most Outstanding Fighter of the Year (2019, 2020)
    MMA Match of the Year (vs. Kelvin Gastelum, 2019)

MMA record

25 matches 23 wins 2 losses
By knockout 15 1
By decision 8 1