Two days later, UFC parent company Endeavor announced it would be acquiring WWE and merging it with the UFC into a new, publicly traded company that will have a valuation of $21.4 billion. But there's more . That fight ended in a third-round loss on a stacked card for UFC 225 in Chicago, Anderson suffering a unanimous decision defeat by the first woman to take down Ronda Rousey. Valentina Shevchenko. [62] This fight earned him the Fight of the Night award. 2838 Athletes Asjabharan _ Bantamweight 0-0-0 (W-L-D) Asjabharan _ Athlete Profile Yibugele - Featherweight 0-0-0 (W-L-D) Yibugele - Athlete Profile Angga - Featherweight 0-1-0 (W-L-D) Angga -. Adesanya, who's black, has been upset with Du Plessis, who's white, since his original comments in March, when he took a shot at Adesanya and former welterweight champ Kamaru Usman. And with three fighters booked to feature on the stacked UFC 259 event, headlined by Israel Adesanya, New Zealand has quickly become the envy of the mixed martial arts world. The 28-year-old Queenslander returned to the Octagon with a TKO featherweight victory over Cat Zingano, and has since called out Cris Cyborg for a bout in the 145-pound division. In the tournament final, he defeated Brian Minto by split decision. [44] He went on to amass an 80 record, fighting mostly in Oceanian and Chinese circuits. [97], Adesanya re-entered the Super 8 tournament in May 2015, held at Horncastle Arena in Christchurch. Linked to the investigation that began as a result of suspicious betting activity ahead of the Nov. 5 UFC fight between, To be determined by NYAC and NSAC / temporary barred from UFC. [20] Adesanya was bullied during his high school years[21] and attributes the mistreatment he experienced to his decision to pursue martial arts later in life. Max Holloway at UFC 276 on Jul 2, 2022, 1. def. Adesanya participated in the King in the Ring Cruiserweights II tournament of the regional circuit in New Zealand. [47] He won the fight via technical knockout in the second round. The 5 best MMA fighters from New Zealand and Australia - FanSided UFC TUF 31 Full Cast: Conor McGregor vs Michael Chandler Complete 2019 was a big year for 30-year old Israel Adesanya. In Title Rematch", "UFC 287: Israel Adesanya Gets Revenge, Knocks Out Alex Pereira", "UFC 287 bonuses: Rob Font leads $50K winners with stunning knockout", "Doberman Daniel Ammann prepares for Super 8 Last Man Standing", "Israel Adesanya into Super8 bout on wildcard", "Boxing: Fighters talk up their chances ahead of tournament", "UFC champ Israel Adesanya slammed for 'disgusting' 9/11 remark", "UFC champ Israel Adesanya apologizes for 9/11 comment: 'I'll be more careful', "Israel Adesanya apologizes after New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister calls out 'rape' insult", "UFC: Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson speaks out on Israel Adesanya's 'rape' comment", "UFC's Israel Adesanya Apologizes for Saying He'll Rape Kevin Holland", "Israel Adesanya arrested at airport for possession of metal knuckles; manager says matter dismissed", "UFC star Israel Adesanya arrested days after losing title to Alex Pereria", "From Dancer to Fighter: How Israel Adesanya Battled His Way to UIsrael AdesanyaFC 243", "Israel Adesanya talks elaborate UFC 243 entrance: 'If I could sing, trust me, Justin Bieber wouldn't even have a job', "Israel Adesanya explains how dancing helped him become a fighter", "How Anime Fuelled Israel Adesanya's Ambition, Ability And Style In The UFC", "UFC Fighter Israel Adesanya Breaks Down His Tattoos | GQ Sports", "Puma Signs Israel Adesanya to Historic Sponsorship Deal", "UFC: Israel Adesanya lends support to cannabis legalisation in New Zealand", "Israel Adesanya calls on Jacinda Ardern to toughen 'coward punch' laws", "UFC 263: Israel Adesanya issues challenge to Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern over coward punch laws", "Super 8: Betham wins NZ cruiserweight boxing title to follow in father's footsteps", "COMBAT PRESS 2017 KICKBOXING AWARDS: FIGHT OF THE YEAR ALEX PEREIRA VS. ISRAEL ADESANYA", "UFC 236 post-event facts: Israel Adesanya sets title-fight record for most knockdowns", "MMAjunkie's 2018 'Newcomer of the Year': The human highlight reel who promised and delivered", "MMA Junkie's 'Fight of the Month' for April: Which UFC 236 title fight got the nod? Verlinden won the fight by unanimous decision. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Ethiopian political leader Robel Hailu. [99], Adesanya fought in the 2015 Super 8 Cruiserweight tournament. Endeavor records below are based on the combination of total fights which fighters fought under UFC, Strikeforce and WEC. [90], A rematch between Pereira and Adesanya for the UFC Middleweight Championship took place on April 8, 2023, at UFC 287. I did on this one and for that I'm sorry. A rugby league side made up of Australian and New Zealand UFC fighters [22], Following high school graduation, Adesanya enrolled in a Bachelor of Science in Computer Design at the Universal College of Learning in Whanganui. The ground-and-pound specialist, who was born in New Zealand but lives and trains in Australia, has tangled with the likes . Israel Adesanya: UFC should increase pay for newcomers, touts 'trickle [23] At the age of 18, he started training in kickboxing, after being inspired by the Muay Thai film Ong-Bak. [81], Adesanya rematched Marvin Vettori for the UFC Middleweight Championship on 12 June 2021, headlining UFC 263. A fighter can be ranked in multiple divisions at the same time in divisions they have competed. Whittaker made his UFC debut proper in 2012, going 2-2 over his first four fights; he added one further victory at welterweight before making the decision to step up to middleweight. His winning streak earned him a place in the 2014 Kunlun Fight 80kg tournament, held during Kunlun Fight 2. Metering and billing coordinator for a gas line company (hated it). On the Rise: Fighters to Watch in 2021 | UFC [115], In June 2021, Adesanya advocated tougher penalties against coward punching following the death of his training partner Fau Vake, who died after being punched in the head the previous month.[116][117]. Israel Adesanya is not happy with the conditions he and his team have been forced to train under.. He's not just a great fighter, but a great man, opting to forgo a fight with Jared Cannonier at UFC 248 so he could donate bone marrow to his daughter. Current UFC fighters/Roster: List of Male & Female Fighters You speak on the mic enough times and you're bound to miss the mark with some bars. [9][10] As a mixed martial artist, he currently competes in the Middleweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the current and two-time UFC Middleweight Champion. City Kickboxing: 2019 'Gym of the Year' - MMA Junkie Here we have narrowed it down to 20 of the most famous UFC fighters; the most established and widely recognisable names to have ever entered the cage. Kde, kdy a proti komu? African mixed martial arts fighters in the Ultimate Fighting [55] He won the fight via technical knockout in round one. [26][27][28] He trains in wrestling under the Romanian New Zealander Andrei Pule. [92] This win earned him the Performance of the Night award. Jim York has been around the block. She is the first female fighter in UFC history to ever regain a championship title after losing it. He hasn't looked back since. T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 280 on Oct 22, 2022, 1. def. 3. def. Catch UFC 234 on ESPN, and in Australia and New Zealand on ESPN and Main Event, Adesanya doing everything right on path to a title shot (0:58), Top 10: UFC brimming with trans-Tasman talent, Ranking the fights at UFC 288: Why Henry Cejudo's return tops the list, Usman eyes Chimaev fight: 'Biggest one out there', Ex-UFC fighter Colares dies in Brazil at age 29, Sources: Dos Anjos-Luque to top UFC Fight Night, Sources: Injured Hermansson out of Allen fight, Masvidal keeps door open for return to cage, Adesanya: Title-winning KO made with torn MCL, Diaz surrenders to New Orleans police after brawl, UFC 288: Why Burns and Muhammad are taking the biggest fight of their careers on short notice, Song punishes Simon in one-sided TKO victory, MMA divisional rankings: Sergei Pavlovich moves within striking distance of the top. New Zealand: 13-6-0: . UFC: Australia and New Zealand are punching above their weight on the This list provides an up-to-date roster of all fighters currently competing under the UFC promotional banner. Kai-Kara France Next on the list is Kai-Kara France who is a flyweight fighter who has gained popularity with his high energy and entertaining fighting style. If their release has not been announced, then they have been listed here based upon their removal from the UFC's rosters. [11], Adesanya was born in Lagos, Nigeria, the eldest of five children. UFC Fighters, Bios, Event History, Pictures & Video | UFC.com Robert Whittaker the winner 899 'The Reaper' did end up losing his title to Adesanya in 2019, but. Takedown defense is the percentage of takedowns attempted against a fighter that do not land. Brian Ortega at UFC 266 on Sep 25, 2021 Max Holloway at UFC 251 on Jul 12, 2020 [37], Adesanya participated in the 2016 Glory Middleweight Contender Tournament. It was the second cruiserweight series with the winner receiving $25,000 NZD and a new car. As of May 16, 2019, a total of 76 UFC fighters have been sanctioned by USADA since the UFC USADA testing program started.[23]. Featuring the best Australian UFC fighters and the best Australian Bellator fighters, this list of the greatest mixed martial artists from Australia and New Zealand includes Mark Hunt, Sam Greco, and Bec Rawlings. Key Fighters: Geoff Neal, Ryan Spann, Miles Johns, Uriah Hall, Diego Ferreira, Alex Morono, Alonzo Menifield, Kennedy Nzechukwu, Macy Chiasson, Steven Peterson Elevation Fight Team Location:. New Zealand's Israel Adesanya defends his 185-pound championship for a fifth time this Saturday . Anderson's record sits at 1-1 in the UFC after she embraced one of the toughest challenges for her maiden bout, a showdown with superstar Holly Holm. Championship", "UFC 283: Cut Ends Deiveson Figueiredo's night early, Brandon Moreno unifies flyweight title", "Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja 2 for flyweight title headed to UFC 290 on July 8", "UFC 285: Alexa Grasso Defies the Odds, Submits Valentina Shevchenko to Capture Flyweight Gold", "UFC 259 Results: Aljamain Sterling Wins Title After Petr Yan's Illegal Knee", "UFC 277: Amanda Nunes Leaves Julianna Pena Bloodied, Reclaims Bantamweight Title", "Amanda Nunes vs. Julianna Pena 3 to headline UFC 289 in June | BJPenn.com", "UFC 276: Alexander Volkanovski Dominates Max Holloway, Puts On Striking Clinic", "Alexander Volkanovski vs Yair Rodriguez title fight on tap for UFC 290 in July", "UFC 284: Yair Rodrguez Finishes Josh Emmett with Triangle, Captures Interim Gold", "UFC 232 results: Amanda Nunes wrecks Cris Cyborg, becomes first-ever female double champ", "Islam Makhachev taps out Charles Oliveira with nasty arm-triangle choke to claim lightweight title in UFC 280 main event", "UFC 278: Leon Edwards Topples Kamaru Usman with Fifth Round Head Kick Stream", "UFC 287: Israel Adesanya Gets Revenge, Knocks Out Alex Pereira", "UFC 283: Jamahal Hill becomes first champ from Contender Series, Glover Teixeira retires", "UFC 285: Jon Jones Stuns Ciryl Gane in Return with Quick Submission, Claims Heavyweight Crown", "Ilir Latifi meets Rodrigo Nascimento at heavyweight for UFC Fight Night on May 20th", "UFC: Walt Harris Set for Return, Booked Opposite Josh Parisian on July 15", "UFC Vegas 68: Serghei Spivac Submits Derrick Lewis in Dominant Showing, Calls for Top 5 Opponent", "UFC Vegas 72: Marcos Rogerio de Lima Chops Up Lead Leg of Waldo Cortes-Acosta, Wins Decision", "UFC Vegas 72: Martin Buday Extends Win Streak, Decisions Jake Collier", "UFC Vegas 71: Sergei Pavlovich Gets Sixth Straight First Round Knockout Against Curtis Blaydes", "UFC Vegas 68: Marcin Tybura Shows Diverse Skillset, Claims Decision Over Blagoy Ivanov", "Karl Williams vs. Chase Sherman pulled from UFC 287", "UFC Las Vegas: Alexander Volkov melts Alexandr Romanov in first round", "Jailton Almeida to fight Jairzinho Rozenstruik at May 13 UFC event", "UFC 284: Justin Tafa sleeps Parker Porter in just over a minute in home country", "UFC Vegas 70: Augusto Sakai Comfortably Beats Lackluster Don'Tale Mayes in Last Minute Co-Main Event", "UFC 289 adds Chris Daukaus light heavyweight debut vs. Khalil Rountree", "UFC 287 loses heavyweight matchup, new opponent's name reported", "UFC Vegas 71: Mohammed Usman Turns Back Debuting Junior Tafa", "UFC Las Vegas: Karl Williams Victorious in Debut, Takes Decision Over Lukasz Brzeski", "UFC Vegas 69: Jamal Pogues Captures Decision in Debut Win Over Josh Parisian", "UFC Vegas 69: Philipe Lins Overwhelms, KO's Ovince Saint Preux", "UFC Kansas City: Azamat Murzakanov Maintains Perfect Record Against Dustin Jacoby", "Anthony Smith vs. Johnny Walker headlines UFC event on May 13", "UFC Las Vegas: Nikita Krylov submits Ryan Spann with triangle choke in chaotic scramblefest", "UFC Kansas City: Ion Cuelaba Stuns Tanner Boser, Secures TKO Finish", "Devin Clark vs Kennedy Nzechukwu Reportedly Set for UFC 288", "UFC Vegas 69: Marcin Prachnio Shuts Down William Knight's Offense With Heavy Kicking Attack", "UFC 284: Roller coaster ride, point deduction sees Jimmy Crute vs. Alonzo Menifield end in draw", "Jack Hermannson out of UFC Vegas 74, Maxim Grishin vs Philipe Lins Added", "Modestas Bukauskas vs Zac Pauga Set on June 17 UFC Fight Night", "Tim Means vs. Alex Morono, Carlos Ulberg vs. Ihor Potieria set for May 13 UFC event", "UFC Las Vegas: Vitor Petrino Outdoes Anton Turkalj in Chaotic Decision Win", "UFC Vegas 71: Bruno Silva Rocks, Drops Brad Tavares Who Protests Finish", "UFC 285: War with Dricus du Plessis ends with Derek Brunson's corner throwing in the towel", "Robert Whittaker vs. Dricus Du Plessis added to UFC 290; Dana White says winner gets Israel Adesanya", "UFC 287: Kelvin Gastelum Storms Back to Prominence with Thriller Against Chris Curtis", "Sean Strickland vs. Abus Magomedov set to headline UFC Fight Night event on July 1", "UFC 286: Marvin Vettori captures decision against hard-hitting Roman Dolidze", "Jack Hermansson injured, pulled from UFC Vegas 74 main event", "Abdul Razak Alhassan zmierzy si z Bruno Ferreir na majowym wydarzeniu UFC | MMAROCKS", "UFC 287: Joe Pyfer Drops, Finishes Gerald Meerschaert in Impressive Sophomore Effort", "UFC 289 adds Eryk Anders vs. Marc-Andre Barriault", "Second-round onslaught by Marc-Andre Barriault overwhelms Julian Marquez at UFC 285", "UFC Vegas 72: Caio Borralho Finishes Oleksiejczuk in Round 2 With RNC", "Edmen Shahbazyan vs. Anthony Hernandez booked for UFC event on May 20", "UFC Vegas 72: ADCC Champ Rodolfo Vieira Submits Cody Brundage", "UFC Vegas 68: Jun-Yong Park Notches Third Straight Win with Submission of Denis Tiuliulin", "UFC Vegas 70: Promoted to Main Event, Brendan Allen Submits Andre Muniz", "Andre Fialho vs. Joaquin Buckley at 170 Among Several Bouts Announced for May 20 UFC Card", "UFC finalizing Chris Curtis vs. Nassourdine Imavov at UFC 289", "UFC 286: Todorovic Injury Puts Damper on Christian Leroy Duncan Debut", "UFC 285: Bo Nickal Wastes no time submitting Jamie Pickett in thrilling debut", "Andre Pteroski vs Armen Petrosyan Middleweight Clash Set for UFC 288", "Irene Aldana vs. Raquel Pennington main event among additions to UFC card May 20", "UFC San Antonio: Albert Duraev wins close split decision over Chidi Njokuani", "Claudio Ribeiro kontra Joseph Holmes dodane do majowej karty UFC | MMAROCKS", "Bo Nickal gets next assignment, will face Tresean Gore at UFC 290 in Las Vegas", "UFC Las Vegas: Josh Fremd Submits Sedriques Dumas for First UFC Win", "Matt Brown announces his return against Court McGee at UFC card on May 13", "Robbie Lawler To Meet Niko Price At UFC 290", "Stephen Thompson vs. Michel Pereira Set for UFC 289", "UFC adds Tim Means vs. Alex Morono to May 13 lineup", "Li Jingliang out of UFC 287 fight vs. Michael Chiesa due to injury", "UFC 286 results: Gunnar Nelson taps out Bryan Barberena with lightning quick armbar submission", "UFC 287: Kevin Holland Flattens Santiago Ponzinibbio in Third Round", "Bryan Battle vs. Gabe Green set for May 13 UFC event", "UFC 286: Leon Edwards overcomes point deduction, defends Welterweight title against Kamaru Usman", "Elizeu Zaleski returns from suspension against Abubakar Nurmagomedov at UFC Vegas 74", "Muslim Salikhov zawalczy z Nicolasem Dalbym na czerwcowej gali UFC | MMAROCKS", "UFC 284: Jack Della Maddalena Taps Randy Brown, Earns Another First Round Finish", "UFC San Antonio: Trevin Giles narrowly edges parsons in back-and-forth battle", "Future Looks Bright: Ian Garry Overcomes Early Adversity at UFC 285, Stops Song Kenan", "UFC 285: Shavkat Rakhmonov batters, chokes out game Geoff Neal in toughest test yet", "UFC 290 | Alles wat je moet weten over UFC 290 in Las Vegas", "Daniel Rodriguez, Ian Garry Collide at UFC Fight Night Event on May 13", "UFC Vegas 71: Jeremiah Wells Comes Back From Knockdown to Defeat Matthew Semelsberger", "Ramiz Brahimaj injured, out of UFC Fight Night 219 bout vs. Carlston Harris", "UFC Las Vegas: Carlston Harris Puts on Well-Rounded Performance Against Jared Gooden", "Levy vs. Rodriguez pulled from UFC Fight Night 223, rebooked for UFC Charlotte", "UFC Vegas 69: A.J. $2,400 fine and $448.25 in prosecution fees. [48] This win earned him the Performance of the Night bonus. Arguably the greatest MMA fighter of all time - Jones will visit 5 cities including Adelaide and also New Zealand. Ranking UFC champions from most to least beatable | theScore.com Blaydes.[31]. MMA records below are retrieved from Sherdog's website. [9][14][15] In 1999, he relocated to Ghana with his family for 10 months,[5] but due to his parents wanting their children to receive a well-recognised higher education,[16] he settled in Rotorua, New Zealand, at age 10[17] and attended Rotorua Boys' High School. Check out the complete list of current & active UFC Fighters- male & female and complete UFC roster from different weight categories (Welterweight, Bantamweight, Featherweight, Flyweight, Lightweight, Middleweight, Heavyweight, Strawweight). [89] Adesanya lost the fight and title via technical knockout in the fifth round, his first loss at middleweight. Anyway, it got us thinking about all the Australian and New Zealand based UFC fighters who have a footy background. It promises to be a big year for the Australian. It is fair to say that fighters from Down Under have a firm grip on the UFC's middleweight division. Professional kickboxing record (incomplete), Super 8 Boxing Tournament IV: cruiserweight final, Horncastle Arena, Christchurch, New Zealand, Super 8 Boxing Tournament III: cruiserweight final, Super 8 Boxing Tournament III: cruiserweight semi-final, 2016 Glory Middleweight Contender Tournament Winner, most knockdowns in UFC Middleweight division history, most Performance of the Night bonuses in UFC history, Kunlun Fight 2 80kg tournament, Semi Finals, Super 8 Boxing Tournament IV: cruiserweight semi-final, Super 8 Boxing Tournament III: cruiserweight quarter-final, Super 8 Boxing Tournament II: cruiserweight quarter-final, "Nigeria's Adesanya beats Whittaker to become undisputed middleweight champion", "How a movie changed my life Israel Adesanya", "UFC 248: Israel Adesanya has 'a few more fighters in my mind' after he deals with Yoel Romero", "UFC 243: Israel Adesanya praises Tiger Muay Thai coach Frank Hickman for upskilling ahead of title fight against Robert Whittaker", "Israel Adesenya Promoted To Purple Belt By Andre Galvao", "New Israel Adesanya was bullied as a child now he's a New Zealand fight sensation", "UFC Rankings, Division Rankings, P4P rankings, UFC Champions | UFC.com", "Israel Adesanya finally reveals why he ditched the pink hair look before UFC 253", "Israel Mobolaji Adesanya: The Last Stylebender", "Israel Adesanya was booted from martial arts: 'I was kicking everything in the house', "From Nigeria to New Zealand, Israel Adesanya is on a quest to earn a 'masters degree in ass whooping', "The pain behind Israel Adesanya's rise to the UFC", "Israel Adesanya explains 'Death Note' anime reference at UFC 243", "How Israel Adesanya embraces Japanese anime in the UFC", "Israel Adesanya was bullied as a child now he's a New Zealand fight sensation", "From bullied in high school to UFC champion: The untold journey of Kiwi MMA superstar Israel Adesanya", "The Last Stylebender - About Israel Adesanya", "Israel 'The Last Style Bender' Adesanya: Glory Fighter", "MMA: Israel Adesanya was bullied as a child now he's a New Zealand fight sensation", "Israel Adesanya's BEST 10 Kickboxing TACTICS", "Kara-France, Volkanovski are City Kickboxing's dynamic Vegas duo", "Fight of the Day: Israel Adesanya vs. Simon Marcus", "Kickboxing: Adesanya happy to fight on home soil", "Israel Adesanya defends King In The Ring title with another tournament win", "Kickboxing: Adesanya joins the Super 8 fight", "WLF Glory of Heroes 4 Results: Doumbe Stops Yawei, Adesanya Hands Belgaroui His First Defeat", "WLF Glory of Heroes 5 Results: Jianliang Edges Bulaid, Adesanya Stops Stoica", "Alex Pereira and Israel Adesanya: An undeniable Trilogy? Top 10 UFC Women's Fighters In 2022 Tuivasa's next bout is still to be confirmed, but he did call out Justin Willis after his loss in Adelaide; the American had defeated Mark Hunt earlier on the card. Six months later, he took part in the 2015 Cruiserweights III tournament. Which Bellator, Invicta, One and PFL champs could dethrone UFC titleholders? 2. The fighters in this section have either signed with the UFC but yet to be debuted, have recently returned from an announced retirement, or have yet to make their UFC return. List of current UFC fighters - Wikipedia Jung Chan-sung at UFC 273 on Apr 9, 2022 He is set to have surgery and then begin his road back to the Octagon. UFC champ Israel Adesanya goes off on 'cracker' Dricus Du Plessis [69] Many fans and pundits felt disappointed due to the low activity by both fighters which resulted in a largely uneventful fight in which neither fighter was able to deliver any significant offense. Full of bravado but with the skills to match, Adesanya is unbeaten in 15 fights as a professional, going a perfect four for four in the UFC in 2018. The 10 Best Newcomers Of 2021 | UFC But his first title defence was derailed by injury, and it wasn't until he defeated Yoel Romero for a second time, in Chicago, that he held the belt in triumph inside the Octagon. This list of current UFC fighters records current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighters' information, country origins, recent fighter signings and departures, fight schedules and results and the champion of each division. [79] At the weight-ins, Adesanya weighed 200 pounds, five pounds away from the light heavyweight limit. UFC Auckland takes place on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, live from the Spark Aena in UFC Auckland, New Zealand. MMA Fighters From New Zealand | Tapology Israel Mobolaji Temitayo Odunayo Oluwafemi Owolabi Adesanya [1] (born 22 July 1989) is a Nigerian [2] -New Zealand professional mixed martial artist, kickboxer, and former boxer with multiple championships in all three disciplines. [82] Adesanya controlled a majority of the fight winning via unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 5045. [91] Adesanya won the fight and title via knockout in the second round. The list below is based on fighters suspended either by (1) United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) or World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for violation of taking prohibited substances or non-analytical incidents, (2) by local commissions on misconduct during the fights or at event venues, or (3) by UFC. The 25-year-old flyweight trains alongside countryman Israel Adesanya and Dan Hooker at Auckland's City Kickboxing, and returns to the Octagon at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday against Raulian Paiva Frazao, a Brazilian who's making his UFC debut. Studied computer graphic design for three years, dropped out to pursue this life. [72] This marked the first time two male unbeaten mixed martial artists met in a title fight since 2009. The Scorecard | UFC 287: Pereira vs Adesanya 2, Five Israel Adesanya Fights To Watch Before UFC 287, Israel Adesanya Career Highlights: Title Wins To Best Fights, Israel Adesanya Finds Role Of The Hunter 'Tantalizing', Rankings Repercussions | UFC 287: Pereira vs Adesanya 2. After back-to-back victories in her first two UFC bouts, Rose-Clark then suffered a unanimous decision loss to top-ranked flyweight contender, Jessica Eye, but is set for a strong return in the heavier division. He returned to MMA in August 2015, when he won the fight against Song Kenan by TKO. [34], Adesanya won five of his next six fights, including victories over Yousri Belgaroui[35] and Bogdan Stoica. The UFC rankings are rated by a panel made up of MMA media members. [88], Adesanya faced Alex Pereira, who had two victories against him in kickboxing, on 12 November 2022 at UFC 281. Israel Mobolaji Temitayo Odunayo Oluwafemi Owolabi Adesanya[1] (born 22 July 1989) is a Nigerian[2] and New Zealand professional mixed martial artist, kickboxer, and former boxer with multiple championships in all three disciplines. 1. def. Adesanya knocked his opponent out in the second round. 'I don't fake fight': UFC fighters and coaches have mixed - ESPN UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones will tour Australia next month. As of 13 September 2022, the UFC roster consisted of fighters from 71 countries. The flags listed in these tables are in accordance with the UFC's official telecasts and may not fully or accurately represent the full citizenship of the peoples listed. We've dived into the UFC history books and have compiled a list of the Greatest Australian and New Zealand fighters to have competed in the organisation. "The Brute" had emerged from Dana White's Tuesday night Contender Series, earning himself a UFC contract with a brutal TKO of Chris Birchler. [9] His father, Oluwafemi,[12] is an accountant and his mother, Taiwo, is a nurse. He defeated Nase Foai by TKO in the quarterfinal and Dan Roberts by KO in the semifinal, before facing Jamie Eades in the finals. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Str. Hailing from Auckland in New Zealand but now residing in Australia, Kara-France started off as a kickboxer before transitioning to MMA. Won the vacant Hex Fight Series Middleweight Championship. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Pereira won the fight by knockout, after dropping Adesanya with a short left hook in the third round. He is fluent in Yoruba, Nigerian Pidgin and English.[29]. New Breed: USA: 16-6-0: UFC 234: Whittaker vs. Gastelum -- full coverage and analysis, how to watch, Concreting, KFC: Volkanovski's road to UFC 221. [78], Adesanya moved up a weight class and faced Jan Bachowicz for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship on 6 March 2021, headlining UFC 259. Sunday's showdown with American Kelvin Gastelum will be his second title defence, and first on home soil. He defeated Robert Thomas by unanimous decision in the semifinals, and won the tournament with a split decision victory over Yousri Belgaroui. Israel Adesanya promises to never fight in New Zealand [94] He was granted one of two wildcards to enter the inaugural cruiserweight Super 8 Boxing Tournament. The rankings for the UFC's fighters are both recorded and updated when information has been obtained from the UFC's website.