Middleweight

Israel

"The Last Stylebender"

Adesanya

L KO
Adesanya
VS
OPPONENT
Joe Pyfer
KO/TKO Punches
March 28, 2026
L KO
Adesanya
VS
OPPONENT
Nassourdine Imavov
KO/TKO Punch
February 01, 2025
L SUB
Adesanya
VS
OPPONENT
Dricus Du Plessis
SUB Rear Naked Choke
August 17, 2024
L UD
Adesanya
VS
OPPONENT
Sean Strickland
U-DEC
September 09, 2023
W KO
Adesanya
VS
OPPONENT
Alex Pereira
KO/TKO Punch
April 08, 2023
24
WINS
6
LOSSES
0
DRAWS
AGE
36
HEIGHT
193 cm
WEIGHT
83.9 kg
REACH
203 cm
LEG REACH
44.5 cm
COUNTRY
New Zealand

UFC HISTORY & CAREER

• UFC Fight Night(3/28/26) Adesanya was stopped by Joe Pyfer via strikes at 4:18 of the second round
• UFC Fight Night(2/1/25) Adesanya was knocked out by Nassourdine Imavov at :30 of the second round
• UFC 305(8/17/24) Adesanya was submitted by Dricus Du Plessis via face crank at 3:38 of the fourth round in a fight for the UFC middleweight title
• UFC 293(9/9/23) Adesanya lost a five round unanimous decision to Sean Strickland, losing his UFC middleweight title
• UFC 287(4/8/23) Adesanya knocked out Alex Pereira at 4:21 of the second round, regaining his UFC middleweight title
• UFC 281(11/12/22) Adesanya was stopped by Alex Pereira via strikes at 2:01 of the fifth round, losing his UFC middleweight title
• UFC 276(7/2/22) Adesanya won a five round unanimous decision over Jared Cannonier to retain his UFC middleweight title
• UFC 271(2/12/22) Adesanya won a five round unanimous decision over Robert Whittaker to retain his UFC middleweight title
• UFC 263(6/12/21) Adesanya won a five round unanimous decision over Marvin Vettori to retain his UFC middleweight title
• UFC 259(3/6/21) Adesanya lost a five round unanimous decision to Jan Blachowicz in a fight for the UFC light heavyweight title
• UFC 253(9/27/20) Adesanya stopped Paulo Costa via strikes at 3:59 of the second round to retain his UFC middleweight title
• UFC 248(3/7/20) Adesanya won a five round unanimous decision over Yoel Romero to retain his UFC middleweight title
• UFC 243(10/6/19) Adesanya knocked out Robert Whittaker at 3:33 of the second round to unify the UFC middleweight title and become undisputed champion
• UFC 236(4/13/19) Adesanya won a five round unanimous decision over Kelvin Gastelum to win the interim UFC middleweight title
• UFC 234(2/10/19) Adesanya won a three round unanimous decision over Anderson Silva
• UFC 230(11/3/18) Adesanya stopped Derek Brunson via strikes at 4:51 of the first round
• TUF 27 Finale(7/6/18) Adesanya won a five round unanimous decision over Brad Tavares
• UFC on FOX(4/14/18) Adesanya won a three round split decision over Marvin Vettori
• UFC 221(2/11/18) Adesanya stopped Rob Wilkinson via strikes at 3:37 of the second round

IMPORTANT FACTS

MMA pro since 2012
16 of 24 wins by KO, seven in the first round
Stopped UFC vets Song Kenan (2015) and Melvin Guillard (2017)
Had reported 75-4 (29 KOs) pro kickboxing record
Had 5-1 (1 KO) pro boxing record
Has won four of his last nine
Origin of nickname – “Coined from the TV show Avatar.”

Q & A

Q: When and why did you start training for fighting?
ANSWER: In 2008, because I needed skills to protect myself.
Q: Training:
ANSWER: 9am to 12pm then 6pm to 8pm, training all the various aspects and subtleties of MMA.
Q: What ranks and titles have you held?
ANSWER: Two-time UFC middleweight champion, AFC world champ and Hex FC world champion.
Q: Do you have any heroes?
ANSWER: Avatar Aang and Naruto Uzumaki, the 7th Hokage of the hidden leaf village. Ethiopian political leader Robel Hailu.
Q: What does it mean for you to fight in the UFC?
ANSWER: It's one goal ticked off, but it's only the beginning.
Q: Did you go to college and if so what degree did you earn?
ANSWER: Studied computer graphic design for three years, dropped out to pursue this life.
Q: What was your job before you started fighting?
ANSWER: Metering and billing coordinator for a gas line company (hated it).
Q: Ranks in any martial arts styles:
ANSWER: BJJ purple belt under Professor Andre Galvao.
Q: Favorite grappling technique:
ANSWER: I like choking people and whispering sweet nothings in their ear as they fall asleep.
Q: Favorite Striking technique:
ANSWER: Spinning s**t

STRIKING ANALYSIS

STRIKING ACCURACY48%
STRIKING DEFENSE55%
LANDED/MIN
4.03
STRIKES PER MINUTE
ABSORBED/MIN
3.22
STRIKES ABSORBED PER MINUTE

GRAPPLING & WRESTLING

TAKEDOWN ACCURACY9%
TAKEDOWN DEFENSE76%
TAKEDOWNS/FIGHT
0.05
15 MIN AVERAGE
SUBMISSIONS/FIGHT
0.1
15 MIN AVERAGE

GENERAL ANALYSIS

UFC RECORD
13 W - 6 L
ACTIVE STREAK
-4 Losses
WIN BREAKDOWN
Knockout (KO)5
Submission0
Decision8
LOSS BREAKDOWN
Knockout (KO)3
Submission1
Decision2
FIGHTING STYLE Freestyle
STANCE Switch
UFC DEBUT Feb. 11, 2018