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Israel Mobolaji Adesanya is a Nigerian-born New Zealand-based professional who was born on July 22, 1989, is a professional mixed martial artist, kickboxer, and former boxer. In the UFC, he is the current and two-time Middleweight Champion. Adesanya attended Chrisland School, Opebi, and enrolled in its Taekwondo after-school club before his family moved to Ghana, then to New Zealand.
ROAD TO KICKBOXING.
When Israel was 10, his family moved to Rotorua, New Zealand in search of a more stable home where he attended the Rotorua Boys’ High School. At first Adesanya had no interest in sports, he grew interest in watching Japanese animes such as Death Note and Naruto. Later at some point, he started out as a dancer.
The movie Ong-Bak was a turnaround for him. The Muay Thai film inspired him to start training at City Kickboxing. That was in 2008 – he was barely 18. In May 2010, Adesanya won the first fight of his kickboxing career by defeating Tim Atonio by unanimous decision. That same year, he was brought up to China by some Chinese men to promote Wu Lin Feng, a martial arts TV competition.
LIFE CONTINUES IN CHINA.
At China, he won his next six fights, fighting almost exclusively with Wu Lin Feng. His winning streak earned him a place in the 2014 Kunlun Fight 80 kg tournament where he managed to reach only the semifinal bout. Outside China, Israel appeared in more kickboxing games. He became a must-see sensation. In total, he won 75 times (29 KOs) and lost 5 times in Kickboxing.
TRANSITION TO MMA.
He believed his striking style was not really suiting for the generic kickboxing style but for MMA. So, he made the big switch to Mixed Martial Arts in 2012. His debut was superb – he knocked out veteran James Griffiths 2 minutes into the first round.
If you want to get at me, get at me yesterday.. because every fight I’m getting better. I’m getting exponentially better.
~ ISRAEL ADESANYA.
He scored another TKO win against John Vake, before taking a two-year hiatus from mixed martial arts. In 2015, he returned to MMA where he went on to amass an 8–0 record.
ISRAEL ADESANYA AT UFC.
In December 2017, it was announced that Adesanya had signed a contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. His bag strong charisma and flashy fighting style earned him a widespread attention. On February 10, he faced his idol – former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva – in the main event of UFC. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
He’s also fought and won against the likes of Jared Cannonier, Robert Whittaker, Marvin Vettori…
ISRAEL ADESANYA VS ALEX PEREIRA.
As of now, Israel Adesanya has only lost twice in his entire kickboxing career. The first was when he faced Jan Błachowicz for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship on 6 March 2021. Adesanya’s second MMA loss was against long-standing rival Alex Pereira on 12 November 2022. During Adesanya’s kickboxing days, before transitioning to MMA, he had lost against Alex Pereira twice.
A rematch between Pereira and Adesanya for the UFC Middleweight Championship took place on April 8, 2023, at UFC 287. Adesanya won the fight and title via knockout in the second round. This win earned him the Performance of the Night award.
In a whopping total, Israel Adesanya has 24 wins (out of 26) in MMA; 16 by knockout, 8 by decision.
ISRAEL ADESANYA NET WORTH.
The net worth of Israel Adesanya is estimated to be $4 million. It is reported that he earns over a million dollars in each fight in the UFC. Adesanya has also received sponsorships and endorsements from brands like Puma and Engage.
In his fight with Alex Pereira, Adesanya earned a massive paycheck of $2.6 Million, which included $2 Million in base salary, $600,000 in pay-per-view sales, and $42,000 in sponsorship deals.
ISRAEL ADESANYA CARS.
Here are some of the cars the Last Stylebender owns with their prices:
| Car | Price |
|---|---|
| McLaren 720s | $315,000 |
| Range Rover | $80,000 |
| Nissan SUV | $29,000 |
ISRAEL ADESANYA NEXT FIGHT.
After his impressive KO win at UFC 287 against Alex Pereira, Adesanya’s next fight is yet to be determined. However a Pereira-Adesanya trilogy is anticipated by fan. Israel Adesanya may be open to fighting Dricus du Plessis or Khamzat Chimaev, both of whom he had had arguments with.
Abdulbasit Toriola is an emerging voice in Nigerian cultural commentary and social analysis. From his corner in Lagos, he documents Nigerian history, current affairs, and explores the extraordinary journeys of Nigerians beating the odds. His works have been published on Africa Prime News and Opinion Nigeria. Connect with Abdulbasit on Twitter @blackboymusings for daily insights into Nigerian life and culture.
