"He's the most experienced combat sports athlete on the UFC roster by a country mile" - Eugene Bareman talks about Israel Adesanya's experience
![Israel Adesanya (left) and Eugene Bareman (right) [Image Credits: @stylebender and @mmamatchmaking on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2021/06/734b8-16228824700814-800.jpg?w=500)
Israel Adesanya is set to put his UFC middleweight belt on the line against Marvin Vettori in the main event of UFC 263 on June 12, 2021. Before the champion's team left for Arizona, Combat TV caught up with City Kickboxing coach and Adesanya's trainer Eugene Bareman.
In the brief interview, they spoke about multiple topics pertaining to 'The Last Stylebender'. When asked if there was anything special fans should watch out for in the upcoming fight against Vettori, Bareman said:
"I mean, every fight with Israel is typically on-the-edge-of-your-seat kind of thing. The guy has an infinite amount of tools and weapons and techniques of which the world has only seen 5-10% of. There's so many things that we've worked on in the last decade plus that he hasn't had the opportunity or the right time to use here. Those things are always capable of presenting themselves, so you never know."
Eugene Bareman was then asked if he was ever worried that Israel Adesanya would get carried away and go outside the game plan or if he trusted his fighter to follow instructions. Bareman smiled and said:
"I'm not sure how big the roster is in the UFC, but I don't think there's another fighter that has had 100+ fights. Not a single one. He is the most experienced combat sports athlete in that whole roster by a country mile... I think Israel is just too experienced to let that kind of thing happen."
Bareman added that while Thai fighter Loma Lookboonmee is part of the UFC roster, it could be argued that Muay Thai athletes have vast experience. However, her record doesn't compare to Israel Adesanya's. Lookboonmee currently competes in the women's strawweight division.
Watch the interview below:
How vast is Israel Adesanya's combat sports experience?
Eugene Bareman wasn't exaggerating when he said 'The Last Stylebender' is quite possibly the most experienced combat sports athlete on the UFC roster. The Nigerian-born Kiwi fighter has a boxing record of 5-1, a kickboxing record of 75-5, and a pro-MMA record of 20-1. That's a whopping 107 fights on record.
Amongst his five losses in kickboxing, only one has come via knockout. Israel Adesanya's sole MMA loss came at the hands of Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259 in a brave attempt to move up a weight class and challenge for the light heavyweight belt.
Also Read: Israel Adesanya's coach reveals which one of his 100-plus fights was the toughest
Israel Adesanya's win over Paulo Costa at UFC 253 was the hundredth professional combat sports win for 'The Last Stylebender'. Needless to say, he could very well be the most experienced athlete on the UFC roster.
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