5 opponents for Israel Adesanya if he returns to light heavyweight
Since joining the UFC, Israel Adesanya has become one of the most popular fighters in the sport. The reigning UFC middleweight champion has showcased his incredible striking, which really sets him apart from other fighters.
Adesanya has been involved in a few back-and-forth bouts, but has had his hand raised in every middleweight bout he’s competed in. Thanks to his performances at 185lbs, Adesanya was given a title shot against then-UFC light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz earlier this year at UFC 259.
‘The Last Stylebender’ came up short in his attempt at light heavyweight gold. It was a learning experience for him as he made improvements that served him well in his next bout. Adesanya retained his middleweight championship against Marvin Vettori three months later.
With Adesanya having fought most of the top middleweights, it’ll be interesting to see whether he makes another attempt at 205lbs. This list will look at 5 possible opponents for Israel Adesanya if he returns to light heavyweight.
#5. Israel Adesanya vs. Thiago Santos
Thiago Santos is currently the No.5-ranked light heavyweight in the UFC and has benefitted from his move to 205lbs. After defeating Kevin Holland in a middleweight bout at UFC 227, Santos decided to move up to light heavyweight.
Santos excelled in his new weight-class as he won three straight bouts with KO/TKO and earned a title shot against then-champion Jon Jones. Despite sustaining significant injuries to both legs, 'Marreta' still went the distance with Jones. Santos lost by split-decision, but had his fair share of moments during the fight.
‘Marreta’ struggled when he returned as he lost back-to-back fights to Glover Teixeira and Aleksandar Rakic. After a 7-month layoff, Santos got back on track by defeating Johnny Walker by unanimous decision. Santos would be an interesting opponent for Adesanya because of his knockout ability and the fact that he’s not a massive 205-pounder.