Israel Adesanya
Kickboxer who turned range and feints into UFC gold
- Born
- July 22, 1989, Lagos, Nigeria
- Nationality
Nigeria
New Zealand- Height
- 193 cm (6′4″)
- Reach
- 203 cm (6′8″)
- Stance
- Switch
- Style
- Kickboxing counter-striker
- Weight
- Middleweight, Light Heavyweight
- Active
- 2012–present
- Status
- Active · age 37
The record
Professional MMA; separate kickboxing (75-5) and boxing (5-1) records.
The story
orn in Lagos, Nigeria, and representing New Zealand, Israel Adesanya went 75-5 as a kickboxer, including a Glory title fight, before focusing on MMA. He started his MMA career 20-0, won the interim UFC middleweight title in a 2019 war with Kelvin Gastelum that is now in the UFC Hall of Fame, and knocked out Robert Whittaker months later to become undisputed champion. He defended the belt five times, lost a light heavyweight title bid to Jan Błachowicz, lost his middleweight title to Alex Pereira in 2022, and knocked Pereira out in their 2023 rematch to regain it. His style rests on range and timing: feints, stance switches, teeps and kicks, and a sharp counter. Since losing the title to Sean Strickland in 2023 he has lost three more, most recently to Joe Pyfer in March 2026.
Tap a technique with an arrow to learn how it works.
- UFC middleweight champion (2 reigns, 5 successful defenses)
- Interim UFC middleweight champion (2019)
- UFC Hall of Fame, Fight Wing (2025): vs Kelvin Gastelum, UFC 236
Defining fights
- 2019WINvs Kelvin Gastelum (UD, won interim UFC middleweight title)
- 2019WINvs Robert Whittaker (KO R2, won UFC middleweight title)
- 2021LOSSvs Jan Błachowicz (UD, first MMA loss)
- 2022LOSSvs Alex Pereira (TKO R5, lost title)
- 2023WINvs Alex Pereira (KO R2, regained title)
Show a jab, teep or stance switch to read the opponent's reaction, then counter whatever they give you. Kickboxing students can drill feint-to-counter rounds where the only goal is to draw a reaction and punish it.
