Israel Adesanya - Journey to UFC Champion

Isreal Adesanya first entered the Octagon having already made a name is a to division kickboxing champion in MMA he proved just as devastating 11 fights 11 finishes leading up to his UFC debut in February 2018 where he lived up to the height unleashing his vast arsenal brutal kicks and crisp combination [Applause] [Music] little waits humble new dog in the yard Atta Sonia continued his undefeated streak as he outclassed every middleweight contender that was put in front of him starting with Marvin Vettori rest of the strikers in this division you're on notice thousand make fights on this table and I know how to adapt each and every single one of them you can't touch him it's hard to find when to throw what to commit - OH - Sonia lands a flush right baking he's switching Stan she's giving a bunch of different looks I can fight gone for it I can fight going backwards take down a temper Tavares oh wow look at Sonia nice defense there by the New Zealand er he has been the boss he has been the bully he has led the dance and the last style better starting to go to work sideways I'm ambidextrous by stands for trademark the unbeaten Adesanya bursts stunted the seen and a combination with three UFC wins in just five months so the promotion would match its urging prospect against top ten knockout artist Derek Brunson I'm in his face I saw him you can't even control his emotions he's just coming in here trying to flex don't worry November third I will deliver Israel and you better live some ways man you're skinny as hell I'm not worried about treading that chin of the planet and I'll clean it off as well so here is the army flappable Israel Sonia forth you actually appearance here tonight I mean he's just so effortless and fluid it the way he throws those shots but this is without a doubt going to be the toughest guy he's ever faced I mean Derek Brunson has a real resident does the hype train continue tonight look at that right bottom good early signs were honest on you able to stay upright right hand Nevada Sonia got Brunson's attention he's got to be careful a lot of Sun he doesn't set him up for a knee as he tries to do that as well they all underestimated me Derek Brunson is so strong they just skip I'll say hype hype hype and I am the hype train now ran him over Oh [Applause] [Music] that's we're talking about ladies and gentlemen that's the last style bender folks they don't know I started to gain my level two they're just loading so I got in his head and I got him to start to work his chute I keep saying man I don't throw in hope I aim in fire down the barrel the next step in Auto sannyas rise would come against MMA royalty as he was set to face former middleweight king Anderson Silva and due to unforeseen circumstances this highly anticipated matchup was moved to the main event of UFC 234 taking Whitaker and Gastelum places headlining attraction was a fight fans dream matchup between a legend and a new superstar who emerged seemingly out of nowhere few fighters as much hype coming in to a UFC debut and a career as Israel out of Sanya he has lived up to that height and then some as he draws the legend Anderson Silva we have witnessed his greatness for the better part of two decades ken this is a guy whose credentials you truly run time to set up but over my left shoulder right now is the number four ranked contender Kelvin Gastelum with a belt over his shoulder he's gonna watch the last style better show here v UFC appearance for Israel out of Sonya's he attacked that lead leg of Anderson Silva and he's getting Anderson to fight on the [Music] here's every time Silva beaches five minutes down usually see spider Anderson Silva doing that's people now we're seeing out a Sonya I give him a taste of his own medicine with the showmanship big left hand lands ferrata Sonya Oh Silva with the guard completely lowered and this is what Anderson needs to do make it ugly gettin underhooks get in the pocket elbow elbow Dean and get away Sonya force to clench for a second now a buckling leg kick from Israel well a lot of fans gotta be sitting home wishing this was maybe a five rounder but this is our third and final round I have a feeling we're gonna see Israel throw a lot more in this third round Bruner that hurt lotta Sonia continues to work that lower half bata Sonia forced to retreat [Music] mix up they'll show me how cool is this watching Anderson Silva go striker strikes this man and out of sight you just what a striking match turned in by at some point is real honest Sonia will have that middleweight belt firmly around his waist of course Kelvin Gastelum and the rest are gonna have a whole lot to say about that [Music] Kelvin put that belt down seriously although UFC 234 began with chaos it ended with clarity and a championship booking materialized Israelite asagna is gonna be fighting Calvin gasolin for the UFC interim middleweight title we had a deal and we shook on it after anis and Silva I get a bell on my next fight I'm gonna do that we're gonna train smart all of our attentions are in Israel we'll fight for a bell one man becomes the UFC interim middleweight champion and sets up a date later in 2019 with the undisputed king of the 80 fibres the reaper robert whittaker we haven't seen him face the kind of grappling and pressure and experience inside the Octagon the Kelvin Gastelum possessives Gaston feels that he's just a better fighter and at 185 whitte Kelvin Gastelum lands people go to sleep car kick to the body and a sign you started to get off a little bit more now beautiful big right hand by Sonia perfectly played inside leg kick you cannot make a mistake with a striker that's a sharp as Israel Sania and right now he's got Kelvin just guessing oh oh Calvin's in real trouble those right hands are landing so clean for Israel Oh what a fight oh he was high look at that Oh [Music] he's in trouble now honest on your throats of often that is the most hurt we've ever seen Israel at asagna foreshore to fight the most adversities ever felt he's got to take the momentum back from jela gasps look I look for iconic moments iconic moments I'll live and that 5th round I looked across the cave not to see Kelvin looked at him I was like you're not gonna beat me oh nice Fred kick to the face by Ezreal nice and he worked there from honest Sonia he can't miss with that right hand Gabor Oh Calvin's in real trouble and now style benders got his number I washed him away Meza from the left no doubt [Music] championship hard right now [Applause] [Music] the nation I decided we're gonna try to set up a triangle systrace [Music] when you're chasing the championship it is 12/5 this is how you gotta fight trouble [Applause] risen to the occasion [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] with interim gold around his waist Adesanya had now set himself up for a title unification bout against reigning middleweight king robert whittaker DC I'm just not sure there is any point of comparison in all of professional sports than the intensity of a UFC championship fight and especially when you add this stadium backdrop when you're in there and you walk to the middle you're like man this is a Bowman is what dreams are made o you know it's the best feel at all the sport no matter what anyone said whether they believe me or that didn't believe me I didn't care I was gonna get this no or another he has taken this sport by storm he moves every needles otherwise that you would want him to move he is 17 and oh but tonight he figures to be facing his stiffest challenge to date considerably as Israel out of Sanya sakes on robber woody this is a guy that has fought five rounds against someone in four scary guys that we've ever seen in the Octagon his fight the Yoel Romero are things of legend and this guy's a great champion and one of the best fighters that I've ever seen is perfect at 185 pounds ain't endow Whitaker has to make this fight a little bit dirty if it's just a straight kick boxing match there aren't many people in the world that can beat Israel at that [Applause] watch enough called an asana is when Luke is throwing everything with so much heat is crazy a lot of Sonia lands the jab this is what l asagna has to do he has to fight behind that jab he can't a lot wit it couldn't get close [Music] big shot by NZ right before the Bell [Applause] those thing that drains that same range in and out you should be would be proactive you're never gonna be fried second round underway now we'll see the extent to which Robert Whittaker is compromised after a big moment for the last style vendor to close round one he's got Rob chasing him and he's just slide not arranged how about the dexterity the head movement for Israel out of Sanya Wow beautiful to watch Oh starting to feel himself and I start to get into his flow but it's not good for Robert Whittaker Oh beautiful body work now from out of Sonya less than two years into his UFC career Israel out of Sanya is what he knew and thought he was the best middleweight [Music] [Applause] and I would say a star is born but this doll was born a long time ago Israelite asagna who has captivated the NMFA masses every step of the way now they standard at a hundred and eighty five pounds

Channel: UFC - Ultimate Fighting Championship

Views: 12,368,128

Keywords: ufc, journey, to, champion, israel, adesanya, middleweight, title, 243, 234, 236, anderson, silva, robert, whittaker, kelvin, gastelum, fight, history, career, highlights, new zealand, nigerian, mma, ultimate fighting championship

Id: sHgFwQiRuSM

Length: 12min 46sec (766 seconds)

Published: Tue Mar 03 2020

Reddit Comments

[u/JWPruett]

That was hype as fuck, holy shit. Izzy is amazing. Hope he knocks Yoel out cold.

[u/ThousandYearsAlive]

They are pushing him hard. He seems like he moves the needle so far. Lot more people talking about him and his videos generate a lot of views on YouTube. We'll see how far this train goes.