In many ways, former UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya, was seen as the successor to 185-pound legend, Anderson Silva, despite accusations of being “overrated.” Unfortunately, it appears “The Last Stylebender” is ending his MMA career in the same fashion as “The Spider.”
Adesanya, 36, has dropped four straight and five of his last six, getting finished in four of those losses. So what’s keeping the former kickboxer from calling it a career?
His ego.
“Even if we take a hit, like I said, four in a row for me, the equity might be down, but we’re still up over most people who’ve come into this game,” Adesanya told Demetrious Johnson on YouTube (transcribed by Bloody Elbow). “That’s something I don’t want to rest on… my ego is very tied into this; I know what I can do still. For me, I don’t want this to be the writing of my story… this is not how I want to conclude this chapter of my life.”
His most recent chapter ended with a technical knockout loss to Joe Pyfer in Seattle.
Adesanya (24-6) went 9-0 under the UFC banner before moving up to light heavyweight, where he fell to Jan Blachowicz in his bid to become double-champ. He later returned to middleweight and rattled off three more title defenses before his wars against longtime rival Alex Pereira, which appeared to signal the beginning of the end.
“The Last Stylebender” is currently unbooked at the time of this writing.
He loses but he still looks good. Just not as good as his previous self. Cruel nature of fight sports.
I’ll never forget Strickland outclassing him on the feet.
It’s fair to say that Stickland took his soul.
I dislike Izzy’s arrogance& pettiness, especially after this win, making fun Alex’s son for what he did to him as 5yo! What a douche!
But that is the most ballsy KO ever. I mean, it was PLANNED that he would strike back as he was getting pulverized against the cage by a stone handed killer. Think of the guts it takes, and then pulling it off.
So weird that this is his greatest ever moment and then he never won another fight.
Going up in weight then coming back down is tough on an old fighter. Look at what happened to Roy Jones JR after his run at heavyweight.
But what a last win, I was pissed at the time
congrats to Izzy
I hated it, even though I admired what he did. The way he celebrated made me hate him even more ha ha. I loved when DDP shut his mouth with the “I don’t care about your story” . Izzy is such a drama queen self centered douche.
But I too like him better since. He’s always been active, especially as a champ, compared to so many, and he will fight rising fighters. And this win was crazy then, looks awesome now. Very few would try such a plan! Especially after being KOed twice by that same man.
I have hated him since the lead up an the fight with Whittaker
That knock out of poatan was epic a i was so pissed. But impressed at the same time
I enjoyed the Strickland win more then the DDP one, because nearly everyone though Sean would get smoked
I’d like to see him be much more aggressive early!
Not much point being a counter puncher once your speed/timing/reflexes are declining!
Yeah, you can’t react as quickly as you used to, make your opponent react to you.