Age, height, record and more

“The Last Stylebender” has had such an impact on martial arts that no more than a few athletes will ever be able to replicate it.

Israel Adesanya is one of the greatest champions UFC fans have ever seen, from his arrival on the kickboxing scene overseas to his highly publicized debut in the UFC.

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Israel Adesanya doesn’t have many years left in the octagon

UFC fans should appreciate this end to an incredible career

• He is 35 years old, born on July 22, 1989.
• He has been an active fighter since 2010.
• Made his UFC debut in February 2018

After many years of kickboxing in major organizations around the world, Adesanya burst onto the MMA scene. He made his UFC debut in February 2018 with an 11-0 MMA record, with all 11 wins coming by TKO/KO.

The highly acclaimed debut was a huge moment for the UFC in the middleweight division, as the next superstar appeared to be born. Creative striking style, mic skills and ability to finish fights were just a few traits Adesanya displayed from the start.

Adesanya is entering the second half of his 30s and has plenty of money in the bank. He has mentioned that he can see the end of his career on the horizon. UFC fans around the world should cherish the next performances he gives fans because there will never be anyone like him.

Israel Adesanya had an interesting childhood

The path to greatness for the future UFC champion

• Born in Lagos, Nigeria
• At the age of 10 she moved to Ghana and just 10 months later to New Zealand.
• Developed an interest in Japanese anime instead of sports in high school.

Adesanya was born in Nigeria, a country that was considered the 13th poorest country in the world in the 1990s. His parents worked hard to give him the best life possible and gave him more stability at home than most at that time. His father was an accountant and his mother was a nurse. Even in difficult times in corrupt Nigeria, he managed to get his training off to a good start.

When she was around 10 years old, the Adesanya family moved to New Zealand to give Israel a better path to higher education. There, the future UFC champion attended Rotorua Boys’ High School, a prestigious state school with a rich history.

During his high school years, Adesanya developed a passion for Japanese anime series such as Death Note and Naruto, rather than finding inspiration in sports and utilizing his natural athletic abilities. These series were heavily inspired by martial arts and Adesanya knew he wanted to have a similar lifestyle.

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Israel Adesanya was an outstanding kickboxer

From an undefeated amateur career to using his skills at the highest level of MMA

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Adesanya was clearly a special martial artist from the start. He was 32-0 as an amateur kickboxer before turning professional and fighting in China. At the age of 21, he trained at City Kickboxing with future UFC contenders such as Dan Hooker and Kai Kara-France. Adesanya has developed a close relationship with the great Eugene Bareman, head coach at CKB in Aukland, New Zealand.

He is a three-time King in the Ring champion, a famous kickboxing tournament in New Zealand. He also won a GLORY middleweight tournament later in his career.

After an incredible kickboxing career, Adesanya tested himself at the highest levels of martial arts, a common thread running through his storied fighting career. He then competed in MMA competitions while staying true to his kickboxing background and unique style.

At one point, Adesanya was a 20-0 UFC middleweight champion with four title fight victories under his belt before suffering his first career MMA loss; a light heavyweight bout against Jan Blachowicz to attempt to become double champion.

Israel Adesanya is one of the greatest champions in UFC history

A quick look at his incredible resume

• Two-time UFC middleweight world champion (first in history, five title defenses)
• Eight UFC post-fight bonuses (6 FOTN, 2 POTN)
• Former interim UFC middleweight champion
• A huge list of awards throughout his sporting career

Adesanya’s resume doesn’t fit on this page, but let’s try to give a brief insight into everything he has accomplished in the sport of MMA.

He is the first two-time UFC middleweight champion to regain his belt after a devastating loss to longtime rival Alex Pereira. “The Last Stylebender” has not only won three different belts in the UFC, but has defended a world title a total of five times.

Adesanya has the second-most knockdowns in UFC middleweight history with 9, the second-most title fight wins in UFC middleweight history with 8, and the second-longest winning streak in UFC middleweight history (12), behind only combat sports legend Anderson Silva; who Adesanya defeated in a fight in 2019.

What many UFC fans overlooked was Adesanya’s activity. As champion, he fought twelve world title fights in less than five years. This includes an eleven-month break from competition after losing his belt to Sean Strickland in 2023. Only a select few UFC legends have achieved this type of activity at this level in the sport.

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