In the UFC’s early days, the fights were longer, well contested and the winners literally sacrificed sweat and blood. However, it seems this doesn’t apply to the new generation of fighters.
Make no mistake, the fights are a lot more competitive as the emphasis is no longer on talent and strength alone, but also on technicalities and tactics. It’s harder to tell who’ll come out on top, as underdogs spring surprises more often.
Adesanya himself used to be one of those underdogs. In less than ten years, the self-acclaimed “Last Style-bender” has risen to UFC Legend status, with a blazing streak of wins, mostly knockouts. The latest of which came against Paulo Costa, who until the fight was undefeated himself.
The buildup to the fight, which dominated social media, with trash talks back and forth, banters and memes, intensified the anticipation from fans around the world who have been denied UFC action due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Twenty minutes. That’s all it took Adesanya to silence Costa. Over two rounds, Israel dominated Costa, spending the first attacking his legs with a barrage of high powered kicks, before decidedly ending the fight in the second round, with a precise left hook that put Costa on his back for good.
In all, Israel scored eighty-four strikes, fifty-five being significant strikes. Costa’s records pale greatly in comparison, with twelve significant strikes, and a total twenty-six.
With the win, Adesanya further extended his perfect record to 20-0, and successfully defended his middleweight title for a second time.
As he continues to write his legacy, Adesanya never passes on the opportunity to dedicate his victories to his roots. In his own words during his last visit to Nigeria, “I saw myself as each of those kids and I couldn’t help but return to my child mind (not hard for me to do) and remember how I looked at the world at their ages. So many memories that I hadn’t even thought of in over 20 years came flooding back like flashbacks. “It was a surreal, crazy and wonderful experience. I’ll remember this feeling forever.”
At 31, Israel Adesanya has won it all in the UFC. He remains elusive when asked about the future, and insists he wants to “enjoy the moments as they come”
Whatever life holds for Israel, one thing is sure. He’ll excel in style.
