The Takedown | Israel Adesanya closing in on Jon Jones, Khabib in UFC’s pound-for-pound top tier
- Nigerian-born, New Zealand-raised superstar has a huge chance at UFC 248 to cement his legacy as a premier MMA fighter
- Beating Yoel Romero, who will lay it all on the line, could give Adesanya a serious notch in his pound-for-pound belt
Before he made his MMA debut in 2012, the 30-year-old “Stylebender” had a lengthy kick-boxing career spanning from 2011 to 2017 which included at least 80 fights, with more than 90 per cent of them wins. He also tried his hand at boxing, amassing a 5-1 record over the span of one year.
When it comes to sheer mass of professional tilts, the Nigerian-born, New Zealand-raised fighter is second to none and is fast becoming a household name within every corner of the fighting world. Add in his MMA career (18 contests in total, which features seven UFC fights, all of them wins) and it’s tough not to want to shovel praise all over this guy.
Adesanya’s style is one for the ages: a tall, lanky frame somewhat similar to Anderson Silva (whom Adesanya beat in February of last year) and a freewheeling, creative spirit that spills over into the ring reminiscent of a younger, sprier Jon Jones.
