Israel Adesanya News

Christopher Taylor - February 17, 2021

UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has revealed his required stipulations for a potential move up to middleweight. Usman (18-1 MMA) successfully defended his welterweight title at last weekend’s UFC 258 event scoring a third round TKO victory over Gilbert Burns. The victory marked Kamaru’s seventeenth in a row and third consecutive title defense.

Christopher Taylor - February 14, 2021

The official fight card and lineup for next month’s UFC 259: ‘Blachowicz vs. Adesanya’ event was released on Saturday night. UFC 259 is set for March 6 in Las Vegas and features a total of three title fights.

Christopher Taylor - February 11, 2021

Tyron Woodley is perplexed by Israel Adesanya’s decision to move up to 205lbs immediately after Jon Jones left the division. Last summer it appeared that a potential showdown between Jones and Adesanya was a real possibility. However, the potential super-fight was shutdown after ‘Stylebender’ stated that he intended on clearing out the promotions middleweight division before making a move up to light heavyweight.

Adam Martin - February 10, 2021

UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya shared a new photo of himself looking lean and mean ahead of his 205lbs debut at UFC 259. Adesanya meets UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in the main event of the March 6 pay-per-view card. Instead of bulking up for his first fight at 205lbs, Adesanya and his coaching staff instead decided to stay at his natural walking around weight for this upcoming fight with Blachowicz. The team conceded that Blachowicz is the stronger fighter, so the hope is that by not having to cut weight, Adesanya will gain an advantage in speed and stamina.

Adam Martin - February 3, 2021

Israel Adesanya will not put on any extra weight or muscle ahead of his upcoming UFC light heavyweight title fight against Jan Blachowicz. Adesanya, the reigning UFC middleweight champion, is moving up to light heavyweight to take on Blachowicz in a champion vs. champion superfight that headlines UFC 259. With Blachowicz being one of the biggest and strongest light heavyweights, many thought Adesanya would maybe want to bulk up and put on some extra weight or muscle for this 205lbs fight. However, that isn’t the case.

Tom Taylor - February 2, 2021

Darren Till has gone to bat for UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya after a recent criticism from his fellow contender Uriah Hall. Hall, the UFC’s No. 8-ranked middleweight, recently expressed his belief that Adesanya has been competing against subpar opposition of his own volition.

Adam Martin - January 21, 2021

Uriah Hall says he wants to fight UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya so badly that he would fight him in the Octagon for free. In his last fight, Hall picked up arguably the biggest win of his MMA career to date when he knocked out the legend Anderson Silva on Halloween. Hall is now riding a three-fight win streak overall, with victories over Bevon Lewis and Antonio Carlos Junior prior to defeating Silva. Hall is the No. 9 ranked middleweight on the UFC roster and he will take on former champion Chris Weidman in his next bout as he looks to get closer and closer to fighting for the title, a belt that is currently held by Adesanya, whose future at 185lbs is up in the air.

Tom Taylor - January 11, 2021

UFC President Dana White believes a potential fight between Jon Jones and Israel Adesanya should happen in the light heavyweight division, not at heavyweight. Jones and Adesanya are two of the biggest stars in MMA at present, and White has made no secret of his interest in a fight between them. That being said, it’s unclear what weight class this potential superfight would occur in.

Adam Martin - January 4, 2021

Former UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk broke down the upcoming 205lbs matchup between Jan Blachowicz and Israel Adesanya. Jedrzejczyk and Blachowicz have been friends for years as they are two of the best fighters to ever come out of Poland. Ahead of Blachowicz’s upcoming title defense at UFC 259 for the UFC light heavyweight championship against Israel Adesanya, Jedrzejczyk spoke to South China Morning Post and broke down the matchup. While she acknowledges that she has a close friendship with Blachowicz, she also admits Adesanya is a unique challenge.

Chris Taylor - January 2, 2021

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has reacted following news that Israel Adesanya will challenge Jan Blachowicz. Earlier this week, Dana White announced that the promotions reining middleweight champion in Adesanya would be moving up a weight class to challenge Blachowicz for the 205-pound title at UFC 259.

Chris Taylor - December 31, 2020

Israel Adesanya will look to become a UFC champ-champ in 2021 when he challenges Jan Blachowicz for the promotions light heavyweight title. The UFC’s reigning and undefeated middleweight champion, Adesanya (20-0 MMA), is set to collide with Blachowicz (27-8 MMA) in the main event of UFC 259 on March 6.

Tom Taylor - December 31, 2020

UFC light heavyweight champ Jan Blachowicz has shared his first public reaction to his upcoming title defense against middleweight champ Israel Adesanya. Blachowicz and Adesanya have been linked to a champion versus champion fight for several months, and last night, UFC President Dana White made it official. The fight is targeted for UFC 259 on March 6.

Harry Kettle - December 28, 2020

UFC middleweight king Israel Adesanya has reacted to being named Fighter of the Year in the Fighters Only World MMA Awards. Adesanya managed to register two big wins in 2020, and while his victory over Yoel Romero may have been controversial, the success against Paulo Costa was as emphatic as it gets.

Adam Martin - December 27, 2020

UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya was named winner of the Charles “Mask” Lewis Fighter of the Year award at the World MMA Awards. Adesanya took home the top prize of the night in being voted as the best fighter of the year, and he was among a number of deserving award winners at the 12th World MMA Awards. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 12th edition of the Fighters Only World MMA Awards took place remotely on December 27, 2020. It should be noted the awards timeline for inclusion stretched from January 2019 to July 2020. Check out the full list of this edition’s winning fighters below (via MMAjunkie.com).

Adam Martin - December 16, 2020

UFC president Dana White confirmed that Israel Adesanya will get the next light heavyweight title shot before Glover Teixeira does. Adesanya knocked out Paulo Costa in the main event of UFC 253 in September to defend the UFC middleweight title, and in the co-main event of that card, Jan Blachowicz knocked out Dominick Reyes to win the vacant UFC light heavyweight title. Following UFC 253, White surprised a lot of fans and media when he said the promotion liked the idea of seeing Adesanya move up to 205lbs to take on Blachowicz in a bid to become a double champion.

Tom Taylor - December 11, 2020

UFC President Dana White has named the fight he’s most hoping to see in the New Year, and it’s unlikely that many fans are going to disagree with him. During a recent interview with Aaron Bronsteter of TSN, White was asked to name one fight, above all others, that he’s hoping will come together in 2021. After a moment of consideration, he had his answer ready.

Harry Kettle - December 9, 2020

UFC middleweight king Israel Adesanya wants to see some of his future opponents test the waters with some takedown attempts. Adesanya is riding high in the UFC right now after he was able to successfully defend his Middleweight Championship earlier this year courtesy of a picture perfect display against divisional rival Paulo Costa.

Adam D Martin - December 6, 2020

Marvin Vettori responded to UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya’s bold claim that they will never fight again inside the Octagon. Vettori defeated Jack Hermansson via unanimous decision in the main event of Saturday’s UFC Vegas 16 for the biggest win of his career to date. Vettori should take over Hermansson’s old spot at No. 4 in the rankings following the victory, which is the Italian’s fourth straight win in a row. It puts Vettori just a few spots behind Adesanya in the UFC middleweight title ranks. Another win or two and Vettori could get a title shot.