Israel Adesanya Record: 24-6-0

Rise to the title

Adesanya's UFC ascent was rapid. He edged Marvin Vettori by split decision, outpointed Brad Tavares, and blitzed Derek Brunson in the first round. In February 2019 he defeated legend Anderson Silva by decision, then won the interim title in an instant classic over Kelvin Gastelum. At UFC 243 in October 2019 he unified the belt with a second-round knockout of Robert Whittaker to become undisputed champion.

Championship reign

Adesanya defended the title repeatedly, decisioning Yoel Romero at UFC 248 and stopping unbeaten Paulo Costa by second-round TKO at UFC 253. A 2021 move up to light heavyweight ended in a decision loss to Jan Błachowicz at UFC 259, but back at middleweight he reeled off title defenses over Vettori, Whittaker again, and Jared Cannonier. The reign was halted at UFC 281 in November 2022, when Pereira knocked him out in the fifth round to take the belt — only for Adesanya to reclaim it at UFC 287 in April 2023 with a second-round knockout of Pereira, avenging years of kickboxing defeats in emphatic fashion.

Later career

Adesanya lost the title by decision to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023, then came up short in a title bid against Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 305, submitted in the fourth round. His run cooled from there, with a 2025 TKO loss to Nassourdine Imavov and, per Combat Edge records, a 2026 TKO loss to Joe Pyfer. Even amid the skid, his legacy as a generational striker and multi-time champion is secure.

Fighting style

Adesanya is a virtuoso striker, a long, rangy point-fighter who blends pinpoint timing, varied kicks, and a deep kickboxing IQ. His 24-6 MMA record carries a 67% finish rate built entirely on knockouts — 16 of them — with the rest of his wins coming on the scorecards, a reflection of how reliably he out-technicals opponents over five rounds. His vulnerabilities have shown against grappling-forward fighters: his losses to Błachowicz and Strickland came on points, while Du Plessis exposed him with a submission, underscoring that his ceiling has always been tied to keeping fights standing.

Career highlights

• Two-time UFC Middleweight Champion — unified the title against Robert Whittaker at UFC 243 and reclaimed it from Alex Pereira at UFC 287.
• Knockout revenge over Alex Pereira — finished his longtime kickboxing rival in the second round to win back the belt, one of the sport's great redemption stories.
• 16 career knockouts — a striking-driven 67% finish rate that places him among the most dangerous strikers the middleweight division has ever seen.