Israel Adesanya News

Israel Adesanya and Dricus Du Plessis
Israel Adesanya

Israel Adesanya reveals he agreed to headline UFC 300 against Dricus Du Plessis but the champ turned it down

Cole Shelton - February 27, 2024

Israel Adesanya has revealed that he was offered to headline UFC 300 against Dricus Du Plessis for the middleweight title. Adesanya’s coach recently came out and shared that ‘The Last Stylebender’ had ended his hiatus and was back in training and ready to return to MMA. Immediately, many thought that meant he would main event UFC 300, but the promotion ultimately booked Alex Pereira vs. Jamahal Hill for April’s pay-per-vieww headliner.

Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya

Dan Hooker confirms Israel Adesanya was originally targeted to headline UFC 300: “I was not surprised at all”

Susan Cox - February 27, 2024

Dan Hooker is confirming that former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya was originally targeted to headline UFC 300. According to Hooker, Israel Adesanya was ready, willing and able to headline the historic UFC 300, but it was middleweight champion, Dricus Du Plessis who turned the offer down.

Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya

MMA legend Demetrious Johnson doesn't think Israel Adesanya is ready to fight Dricus Du Plessis: "I don't like that fight for Izzy"

Fernando Quiles - February 21, 2024

Demetrious Johnson thinks Israel Adesanya needs more time to prepare for Dricus Du Plessis. There has long been bad blood between Adesanya and the current UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis. While such a fight figures to be quite lucrative, “Mighty Mouse” doesn’t believe now is the time for “The Last Stylebender” to jump into a title fight with “Stillknocks.”

Israel Adesanya, Khamzat Chimaev, UFC Saudi Arabia, Dana White
Israel Adesanya

Dana White shuts down rumor of Israel Adesanya vs. Khamzat Chimaev headlining UFC Saudi Arabia

Cole Shelton - February 20, 2024

Dana White says the Israel Adesanya vs. Khamzat Chimaev won’t be headlining UFC Saudi Arabia in June as a photo seemed to indicate. On Tuesday afternoon, a photo went viral that showed the Kingdom Arena website showing Israel Adesanya vs. Khamzat Chimaev as the main event of UFC Saudi Arabia. Immediately, many fans took to social media to share it and wondered if it was legit. However, it was later revealed that the website was fake and the real arena website does not even have the UFC’s June event on their schedule.

Israel Adesanya
UFC

Eugene Bareman says Israel Adesanya is "finished his little hiatus" as return nears

Cole Shelton - February 14, 2024

Israel Adesanya is ready to return to the Octagon according to his head coach Eugene Bareman. Following Adesanya’s decision loss to Sean Strickland to lose his middleweight title he said he would be taking some time off. The former champ had been one of the most active champions in the UFC, so Adesanya said he would be taking time off as he wanted time off to refresh his mind.

Israel Adesanya, Robert Whittaker, Paulo Costa
Paulo Costa

Israel Adesanya shares prediction for Robert Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa at UFC 298

Cole Shelton - February 14, 2024

Former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has shared his prediction for the UFC 298 co-main event between Robert Whittaker and Paulo Costa. Adesanya has fought both men, defeating Whittaker twice, once by decision and once by knockout, while also beating Costa by knockout. Given his familiarity with both fighters, ‘The Last Stylebender’ seems to have a good idea of how the bout will play out on Saturday night in Anaheim, as he expects Whittaker to wrestle the Brazilian.

Israel Adesanya training
UFC

UFC star Israel Adesanya places massive bet on Super Bowl LVIII game between Kansas City Chiefs & San Francisco 49ers

Fernando Quiles - February 11, 2024

Former two-time UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya has placed a gigantic bet on tonight’s Super Bowl LVIII NFL game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. Plenty of diehard American football and casual fans figure to be glued to their screens for the final game of the NFL season. True fans of the game will find out if 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan earns his first Super Bowl ring as a head coach, or if the dominance of Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs continues. Casual fans will be hooked on the Halftime Show performance from Usher. Expect to also hear a lot about music star Taylor Swift, who is in a relationship with Chiefs’ tight end Travis Kelce.

Israel Adesanya
UFC

Israel Adesanya teases potential return at UFC 300: "The gods must be crazy"

Cole Shelton - February 1, 2024

Former middleweight champion Israel Adesanya is teasing a return at UFC 300. Adesanya is coming off a decision loss to Sean Strickland in September to lose his middleweight title and after the fight, he said he would be taking some much-needed time off. ‘The Last Stylebender’ originally joked he would be off until 2027, but clarified he’s focusing on quality fights and not quantity in the back-end of his career.

Israel Adesanya vs. Dricus du Plessis
Israel Adesanya

Robert Whittaker explains why he’s picking “awkward” Dricus du Plessis to defeat Israel Adesanya

Harry Kettle - January 26, 2024

UFC star Robert Whittaker has explained why he’s picking Dricus du Plessis to defeat Israel Adesanya in their rumored showdown. Last weekend, Dricus du Plessis made a pretty emphatic statement when defeated Sean Strickland to become the new UFC middleweight champion. The win completed his meteoric rise to the top of the 185-pound division.

Israel Adesanya vs. Dricus du Plessis
Israel Adesanya

Dricus du Plessis vs. Israel Adesanya grudge match odds revealed

Zain Bando - January 23, 2024

Just days after winning the UFC middleweight title, discussions of a potential blockbuster fight between Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya are beginning to ramp up so much so that Las Vegas oddsmakers have noted how the bout looks from a betting perspective. Dricus Du Plessis’ upset over Sean Strickland made him the first-ever UFC champion from South Africa and the fourth African-born UFC champion in promotional history. The victory improved his UFC mark to 7-0, adding to an impressive Octagon resume.

Israel Adesanya, Dricus du Plessis
Israel Adesanya

WATCH: Israel Adesanya and Dricus du Plessis train together in old sparring footage

Josh Evanoff - January 23, 2024

The rivalry between UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis and Israel Adesanya has been a long one. ‘Stillknocks’ is fresh off his return at UFC 297 over the weekend, against Sean Strickland. For ‘Tarzan’ the bout was his first since a unanimous decision win over Israel Adesanya in September, which saw him win middleweight gold. Unfortunately for Strickland, his title reign is now over thanks to Dricus du Plessis.

Israel Adesanya
UFC

REPORT | Israel Adesanya isn't ready to fight on UFC 300 card in Las Vegas

Fernando Quiles - January 21, 2024

It isn’t looking like Israel Adesanya will be featured on the UFC 300 card. Fight fans are eagerly anticipating the historic event, which is set to take place inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 13. While the card is shaping up quite nicely with some marquee fights, many believe the missing ingredient is a strong main event.

Israel Adesanya and Dricus du Plessis
Israel Adesanya

Israel Adesanya responds to callout from UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis: “This arc in my story was written long ago”

Chris Taylor - January 21, 2024

Israel Adesanya has responded after being called out by newly crowned UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis. Du Plessis (21-2 MMA) got his first crack at UFC gold this evening in Toronto when he challenged Sean Strickland (28-6 MMA) for the promotion’s undisputed 185lbs title.

Joe Rogan

Joe Rogan dismisses idea Israel Adesanya underestimated Sean Strickland in title loss: "He's just that good"

Josh Evanoff - January 19, 2024

UFC commentator Joe Rogan believes that Sean Strickland is just that good ahead of his first middleweight title defense. ‘Tarzan’ is currently slated to make his first UFC title defense tomorrow night, in Toronto, Canada. In the pay-per-view main event, Sean Strickland will face the rising South African, Dricus du Plessis. ‘Stillknocks’ earned the title opportunity with a knockout win over Robert Whittaker last July.

Dricus Du Plessis, UFC, Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya

Dricus Du Plessis reacts after “irrelevant” Israel Adesanya picks him to defeat Sean Strickland at UFC 297

Susan Cox - January 19, 2024

Dricus Du Plessis is reacting after ‘irrelevant’ Israel Adesanya picked him to defeat Sean Strickland at UFC 297. The former middleweight champion, Adesanya (24-3 MMA) weighed in on who he believes will come out the victor at UFC 297.

Sean Strickland and Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya

Sean Strickland responds after Israel Adesanya picks Dricus Du Plessis to win at UFC 297: "Shut your f*****g mouth"

Cole Shelton - January 18, 2024

UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland has responded to Israel Adesanya picking Dricus Du Plessis to beat him at UFC 297. Strickland is coming off a one-sided decision win over Adesanya in September to become the new middleweight champion. It was a shocking result, and ‘The Last Stylebender’ doesn’t see the American’s reign lasting long as he believes Du Plessis’ wrestling and grappling will be the difference.

Sean Strickland
Sean Strickland

Sean Strickland responds after being labeled a hypocrite by Israel Adesanya, Ian Garry and other UFC fighters: “Do you think I give a f**k?”

Susan Cox - January 18, 2024

Sean Strickland is responding after being labeled a hypocrite by Israel Adesanya, Ian Garry and other UFC fighters. Strickland, 32, is known for trash talking opponents (and others) leading up to or following fights. As of late, fighters, like ‘The Last Stylebender‘, have come forward saying that while he can easily hand out the trash talk, he can’t take it.

Dricus Du Plessis, UFC, Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya

Dricus du Plessis reveals the “mistake” Israel Adesanya made in UFC 293 fight with Sean Strickland: “He just saw a guy that is not on his level”

Harry Kettle - January 18, 2024

UFC star Dricus du Plessis has explained the mistake he believes Israel Adesanya made against Sean Strickland. At UFC 293, Sean Strickland shocked the world. He defeated Israel Adesanya to claim the UFC middleweight championship, and he did so with relative ease. Now, just four months later, he has the chance to defend what he earned when he goes head to head with Dricus du Plessis at UFC 297.