Published 11:17 IST, November 12th 2020
Israel Adesanya claims his perfect UFC record is 'just a title': "I know I can be beat"
Though middleweight champ Israel Adesanya isn’t getting too attached to his undefeated title, he has made it clear that he’s “a hard man to beat”.
To date, UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has amassed a perfect MMA record, winning 20 straight fights, which includes 15 knockout wins. However, despite bosting an incredible resume, The Last Stylebender understands that losing is always on the cards, especially now that he’s moving to the light heavyweight division to fight champion Jan Blachowicz and possibly the other great fighters the 205lb division has to offer.
However, though the former kickboxer isn’t getting too attached to his undefeated title. Adesanya, though, has made it clear that he’s “a hard man to beat". “I get my licks,” Adesanya said but stressed that under pressure in the octagon, he’s having fun and is unstoppable. Israel Adesanya, who turned 31 this year, had a couple of close calls during his early UFC days, especially against Marvin Vettori and Kelvin Gastelum. In addition, he also suffered a couple of kickboxing losses under the GLORY banner before starting his MMA career.
“Being undefeated is just a title. It’s one of those titles that people try to hold up like it’s something. But you should see me in the gym. Some days I get my licks, so I know I can be beat,” Israel Adesanya told MMA Junkie.
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The middleweight king recently defended his title at UFC 253 where he beat Paulo Costa via TKO in the second round. He was then scheduled to fight No 1 contender Robert Whittaker but the fight was scrapped after The Reaper refused to fight Israel Adesanya. Since there was no major challenge in the middleweight division, UFC president Dana White fixed a champion vs champion fight between Jan Blachowicz and Israel Adesanya, which both fighters accepted.
Jan Blachowicz won the vacant light heavyweight title at the co-main event of UFC 253 by defeating Dominick Reyes via a second-round knockout. Blachowicz has won his last four fights in a row with three of those victories coming by knockout in the first or second round. Israel Adesanya, on the other hand, claimed that 2021 would be huge for him as he also hopes to fight the “supposed GOAT” Jon Jones after Blachowicz.
Image Source: Israel Adesanya Instagram
Updated 11:17 IST, November 12th 2020