The UFC debut of Israel Adesanya was full dominance of a future PFL world champion.
Former double UFC champion Middleweight Israel Adesanya received one of the biggest awards of his career on UFC 312 last weekend. Six years after his immediate classic showdown with Kelvin Gastelum on UFC 236, the UFC announced that the fight is the latest addition to the UFC Hall of Fame's Fight Wing, and the two parties will enter the court this summer during an international fighting week ceremony.
After losing back-to-back in the first losing slip of his career, the greatness of Adesanya could be overshadowed by some of his recent struggles. Newer fans may not remember his dominant first middleweight title Reign, who started with a mean knockout from Robert Whittaker.
But before Adesanya reached his first title shot, he enjoyed a four-win calendar year in 2018, including a wild UFC debut against Rob Wilkinson. The performance of Adesanya stole the show at the UFC 221 Prelims.
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty images
The UFC Hall of Fame pad from Israel Adesanya started with a clinical debut
Adesanya's debut attracted many headlines prior to UFC 221. But early against Wilkinson, Adesanya stood for the first adversity of his young MMA career.
Wilkinson got Adesanya with his clinching and landed some explosive recordings on the belly of Adesanya. The struggle pressure of Wilkinson was inexorable, but Adesanya was able to work out of various imminent removal and to repeatedly work on some precarious situations.
After Adesanya could finally get some divorce halfway through the first round, he started to do what he does best. He quickly bleed the face of Wilkinson and rolled through another wrestling Blitz of the Aussie.
Wilkinson had visibly gassed a competitive first round in the round 2. Adesanya grabbed the chance in the second round, putting pressure on Wilkinson on the feet and force him on his back foot.
Adesanya eventually wore Wilkinson and broke his nose with a knee. Halfway through the round Adesanya closed the deal by drowning Wilkinson with a precision striking.
Israël Adesanya went with the former rival for UFC Return?
After recent losses for UFC Middleweight Champion Dric Du Plessis and Nassourdine Imavov, Adesanya teased with retired, but has since played on that attitude. Adesanya is expected to return to the Octagon later this year and will in the meantime ask a council of a four -time rival.
Adesanya and Alex Pereira praise from fans when they were seen together Cagesside on UFC 312. At the end of the interactions, Pereira Adesanya extended an invitation to train together, possibly before Pereira's return to UFC 313.
Adesanya seemed to accept the invitation and the two UFC -Superstars will probably work together for the next fight of the former middleweight champion. In anticipation of his last fight in UFC Saudi Aarabia, Adesanya trained with Whittaker in a reunion that fans and experts fascinated.
In the meantime, Adesanya and Wilkinson are now good friends seven years after their UFC 221 collision. Adesanya's Run to the UFC Hall of Fame may have fallen short without a dominant performance in his debut.
Comments