3 reasons why Israel Adesanya could be as big a superstar as Conor McGregor
At UFC 259, Israel Adesanya will attempt to become only the fifth ever two-division champion in UFC history when he challenges Jan Blachowicz for the light heavyweight title.
Israel Adesanya's rise to becoming one of the best fighters on the planet has been nothing short of meteoric. After taking the UFC by storm with a prolific debut in 2018, Adesanya quickly climbed up the ranks to find himself in the title conversation in the middleweight division.
The undefeated fighter tore through the entire middleweight division to earn himself a shot at the title. He strung together a run of wins against Rob Wilkinson, Marvin Vettori, Brad Tavares, Derek Brunson, Anderson Silva and Kelvin Gastelum to finally get his big opportunity.
At UFC 243, Israel Adesanya fought then-champion Robert Whittaker in a massive title unification bout. 'The Last Stylebender' didn't just work up the crowd with his terrific entrance, he also wowed them by knocking out Whittaker to become the new middleweight champion.
Israel Adesanya's rise to the pinnacle of the middleweight division is somewhat similar to that of Conor McGregor's rise to glory in the featherweight division. From 2013 to 2016, McGregor didn't just participate; he took over like he previously promised.
Just like 'Izzy', Conor McGregor also beat a host of top contenders in the 145 lbs division to earn his title shot. He took out then-champion Jose Aldo in just 13 seconds to become the featherweight champion at UFC 194.
Conor McGregor later became the first fighter in UFC history to become a two-division world champion. He is one of the most polarising figures in the world of combat sports and also the most popular one. His outspoken personality, love for theatricality and unorthodox fighting style propelled him to unbelievable heights of success.
Conor McGregor even went on to make a $100 million payday in a boxing match against Floyd Mayweather.
Such is the man's popularity, he has headlined all five of the promotion's highest-selling pay-per-views ever. Conor McGregor has been the poster boy of the UFC for years now, but it looks like Israel Adesanya is ready to take over the mantle from him.
Three reasons why Israel Adesanya could become the next UFC superstar:
If he becomes a two-division champion this weekend, there is no reason why Israel Adesanya won't be able to replicate Conor McGregor's success and become the next big star in the UFC. On that note, let's take a look at three reasons why Israel Adesanya could become as big a superstar as Conor McGregor.
#1 Israel Adesanya has an unorthodox, crafty and effective fighting style
While both Israel Adesanya and Conor McGregor are gifted orators who talk the big game, they also walk the talk when the time comes. Trash-talking does fire up the crowds but not unless the fighter can back up his words inside the cage as well.
Both McGregor and Adesanya are immensely talented fighters, and their styles are very entertaining to watch. Both fighters are from a kickboxing background and use their movement, precision and timing to hurt their opponents.
Just like McGregor, Israel Adesanya is also a lethal counter-puncher and knows how to lure his opponents right into his zone before clipping them.
Both men are crafty strikers, and their mastery of range and distance management in fights are second to none.
While Israel Adesanya certainly has fewer knockouts than the Irishman, he is quickly catching up with two KO victories in his last three fights. Knockout artists and good strikers are usually popular among fans for their entertaining styles.
#2 Israel Adesanya is a gifted trash-talker
Trash-talking has been associated with MMA since time immemorial. While some fighters don't feel the need for it, some use trash-talking to their advantage. Fighters known to have a penchant for trash-talking are usually quick to rise the ranks because of their popularity among fans.
Not many in the fight business have the gift of the gab, but Israel Adesanya is one of the few exceptions. Just like McGregor, Adesanya is also good at getting under the skin of his opponents with his pre-fight antics. The man has a sharp tongue and uses it wisely.
Adesanya sometimes comes across as brash, outspoken and extremely confident, and his nature often unnerves his opponents. Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker acknowledged that Adesanya's trash talk got under his skin ahead of their fight.
His dislike towards Israel Adesanya tinkered with his focus during the fight which he ended up losing.
“I think it was one more thing that piled on top,” Whittaker told MMA Tonight. “One more thing we threw on top of a pile of an already huge clutter mess of what was going on in my head. I’m certain it did play a factor. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t. But I think it was the cherry on top, not so much the driving factor.”
#3 The Last Stylebender's penchant for theatrics
Israel Adesanya is a thorough entertainer both inside and outside the octagon. He knows how to work up a crowd and has the charisma to make fans want to see more of him every time he's around. Adesanya's choreographed walkout at UFC 243 before the fight against Whittaker sent the crowd into a frenzy, and the video went viral.
Although Dana White said he doesn't really appreciate fighters dancing on their way to the octagon, he admitted that whatever Israel Adesanya did that night was interesting to watch. He said that theatricality works for Adesanya because he has the personality to pull off the sort of antics he does.
“Well, he’s an interesting guy anyways, but yeah, I don’t love it. (Laughs) I don’t love it. I battle with him every time we do it, you know? I keep it as minimal as possible. But you know what? It works for Israel Adesanya. It works for him. He’s got the personality to pull it off, and obviously the guy can actually really dance. We have a lot of people who dance their way into the Octagon, and they should probably never dance anywhere.” White told TMZ Sports (transcript via MMA Mania).
Even after knocking out Paulo Costa to retain his middleweight title, Israel Adesanya dry-humped the fallen fighter in the middle of the octagon. The controversial video instantly went viral, and Israel Adesanya was in the news for more than just his performance inside the octagon that night.
Israel Adesanya's love for theatricality makes him a polarising personality, but it also makes him one of the most entertaining and popular fighters among fans.