After a busy 2018 that saw him sign for the UFC and reel off four consecutive wins, including three “Performance of the Night” bonuses, Israel Adesanya had a tall task on his hands to better his first year on the big stage.
But remarkably, that’s exactly what “The Last Stylebender” did, as the Nigerian-born New Zealander enjoyed a phenomenal year, fighting three times in 2019, picking up three “Fight of the Night” awards, one interim title and the undisputed UFC middleweight championship.
He kicked off his 2019 campaign in February with a win over one of his idols, as he outstruck legendary former UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva en route to a unanimous decision victory at UFC 234 in Melbourne. Then the kickboxing Kiwi battled Kelvin Gastelum over five thrilling rounds, as he captured the interim UFC middleweight title in one of the best fights of 2019 at UFC 236.
That win earned Adesanya with a shot at the undisputed title against Australia’s Robert Whittaker at UFC 243, and a UFC-record 57,127 fans packed the Marvel Stadium in Melbourne to watch him make a spectacular walk to the octagon, then produce a stunning display of striking to finish Whittaker inside two rounds and capture the UFC middleweight title.
Check out the best shots of Adesanya’s unforgettable second year in the UFC via the gallery below:
MMA Junkie's 2019 in pictures: Israel Adesanya ascends to the middleweight throne
