- George Chung
- Aug 13, 2024
- 2 min read
Israel Adesanya, known as "The Last Stylebender," reigned as the UFC middleweight champion for four years, claiming victories over top-tier fighters like Robert Whittaker, Marvin Vettori, Anderson Silva, and Kelvin Gastelum.
Dive into the most electrifying moments of Israel Adesanya’s UFC career, from his rise to championship glory to his unforgettable battles inside the Octagon.
Career Milestones
UFC Debut: Israel Adesanya made his explosive UFC debut on February 11, 2018, against Rob Wilkinson at UFC 221 in Perth, Australia.
Interim Title Victory: Adesanya's victory over Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236 earned him the interim UFC middleweight title.
Undisputed Champion: Adesanya became the undisputed middleweight champion at UFC 243 after a stunning knockout of Robert Whittaker in the second round.
Title Defenses: Before his highly anticipated bout against Alex Pereira at UFC 281, Adesanya successfully defended his title five times.
Record-Breaking Wins: With seven title fight victories, Adesanya stands as the second most successful middleweight champion in UFC history, just behind Anderson Silva’s 11 title fight wins.
Israel Adesanya’s Epic Fights
UFC 236: Israel Adesanya vs. Kelvin Gastelum (4/13/2019): Fourteen months after his debut, Adesanya faced off against Gastelum for the interim middleweight title. In a back-and-forth war, Adesanya emerged victorious by unanimous decision, with all judges awarding him a dominant fifth round.
UFC 243: Israel Adesanya vs. Robert Whittaker (10/6/2019): Adesanya solidified his legacy by knocking out Whittaker in the second round, becoming the undisputed middleweight champion. A powerful right-left combo sent Whittaker crashing to the canvas, marking one of the most memorable finishes in UFC history.
Israel Adesanya’s UFC Record
UFC 293 (9/10/23): Adesanya lost his UFC middleweight title after a five-round unanimous decision defeat to Sean Strickland.
UFC 287 (4/8/23): Adesanya regained his middleweight title by knocking out Alex Pereira in the second round.
UFC 281 (11/12/22): Adesanya was stopped by Alex Pereira in the fifth round, losing his middleweight title.
UFC 276 (7/2/22): Adesanya retained his title with a unanimous decision win over Jared Cannonier.
UFC 271 (2/12/22): Adesanya defeated Robert Whittaker in a five-round decision to retain his title.
UFC 263 (6/12/21): Adesanya retained his title with a unanimous decision victory over Marvin Vettori.
UFC 259 (3/6/21): Adesanya lost a light heavyweight title fight to Jan Blachowicz by unanimous decision.
UFC 253 (9/27/20): Adesanya retained his middleweight title by stopping Paulo Costa in the second round.
UFC 248 (3/7/20): Adesanya won a unanimous decision over Yoel Romero to retain his title.
UFC 243 (10/6/19): Adesanya unified the middleweight title with a second-round knockout of Robert Whittaker.
UFC 236 (4/13/19): Adesanya claimed the interim middleweight title with a unanimous decision win over Kelvin Gastelum.
UFC 234 (2/10/19): Adesanya won a unanimous decision over Anderson Silva.
UFC 230 (11/3/18): Adesanya stopped Derek Brunson in the first round.
TUF 27 Finale (7/6/18): Adesanya won a unanimous decision over Brad Tavares.
UFC on FOX (4/14/18): Adesanya edged out Marvin Vettori by split decision.
UFC 221 (2/11/18): Adesanya made a statement by stopping Rob Wilkinson in the second round.
Explore the intense journey of Israel Adesanya, from his breathtaking victories to his shocking defeats, and witness the making of a UFC legend.
