Kickboxing · Kickboxers · No. 1
Israel Adesanya
Born in Lagos, 75-5 as a kickboxer, and a two-time UFC middleweight champion: the Nigerian who became The Last Stylebender.
- 75-5Kickboxing
- 24-6MMA
- 2xUFC champion
- 5Title defences
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A Lagos childhood
Israel Mobolaji Temitayo Odunayo Oluwafemi Owolabi Adesanya was born in Lagos on 22 July 1989, the son of Oluwafemi, an accountant, and Taiwo, a nurse. His family is Yoruba, and his long string of Yoruba names carries the hopes his parents placed in him. When he was ten, the family moved to Rotorua in New Zealand, where he went to Rotorua Boys’ High School. He holds both Nigerian and New Zealand citizenship.
Kickboxing first
Adesanya walked into a kickboxing gym at 18 after watching the Thai martial arts film Ong-Bak. He trained at City Kickboxing in Auckland under Eugene Bareman and built one of the great kickboxing records of his generation: 75 wins and 5 losses, with 27 knockouts. In 2016 he won the Glory Middleweight Contender Tournament, challenged Jason Wilnis for the Glory title, and twice faced Alex Pereira, the man he would later meet in the UFC. He retired from kickboxing ranked fourth in the world, and also boxed professionally (5-1).
| Year | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | Starts kickboxing in Rotorua, aged 18 | Inspired by the film Ong-Bak |
| 2016 | Glory Middleweight Contender Tournament | Won the tournament |
| 2016 | Glory middleweight title fight | Lost to Jason Wilnis |
| 2016 and 2017 | Two kickboxing bouts with Alex Pereira | Lost both |
| Career | Professional kickboxing | 75 wins (27 by knockout), 5 losses |
Two-time UFC champion
Adesanya joined the UFC in 2018 and rose fast. He won the interim middleweight title against Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236 in a fight later inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, then knocked out Robert Whittaker in Melbourne in October 2019 to become undisputed UFC middleweight champion. He defended the belt five times. After losing it to Pereira in November 2022, he knocked Pereira out in April 2023 to become a two-time champion. He lost the title to Sean Strickland later that year.
| Date | Event | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 2018 | UFC 230 v Derek Brunson | Won, TKO |
| Apr 2019 | UFC 236 v Kelvin Gastelum | Won the interim middleweight title (UFC Hall of Fame fight, 2025) |
| Oct 2019 | UFC 243 v Robert Whittaker, Melbourne | Won the UFC middleweight title, KO |
| 2020 to 2022 | Five title defences | Beat Romero, Costa, Vettori, Whittaker and Cannonier |
| Mar 2021 | UFC 259 v Jan Błachowicz | Lost (light heavyweight title fight) |
| Nov 2022 | UFC 281 v Alex Pereira | Lost the title, TKO |
| Apr 2023 | UFC 287 v Alex Pereira, Miami | Regained the title, KO |
| Sep 2023 | UFC 293 v Sean Strickland, Sydney | Lost the title, decision |
| Aug 2024 | UFC 305 v Dricus du Plessis, Perth | Lost (title fight) |
| Feb 2025 | v Nassourdine Imavov, Riyadh | Lost, TKO |
| Mar 2026 | v Joe Pyfer | Lost, TKO |
Pride in Nigeria
“The Last Stylebender” has never hidden where he comes from. He has walked out to fights with the Nigerian flag, and his success made kickboxing and MMA household topics in Lagos and across Nigeria. For young Nigerian kickboxers he is the proof that a gym in a small town can lead to the top of the world.
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Quick answers
Israel Adesanya: quick answers
Where was Israel Adesanya born?
In Lagos, Nigeria, on 22 July 1989. His family is Yoruba and moved to Rotorua, New Zealand, when he was 10.
What was Israel Adesanya’s kickboxing record?
75 wins (27 by knockout) and 5 losses. He won the 2016 Glory Middleweight Contender Tournament.
How many times was Israel Adesanya UFC champion?
Twice. He won the middleweight title against Robert Whittaker in October 2019 and regained it against Alex Pereira in April 2023.
What is Israel Adesanya’s MMA record?
24 wins and 6 losses, after a loss to Joe Pyfer in March 2026.
Why is Israel Adesanya called The Last Stylebender?
The nickname comes from the animated series Avatar: The Last Airbender, a nod to his love of anime and his many fighting styles.