How many titles does Israel Adesanya have? Taking a look at 'The Last Stylebender's' combat sports resume
Israel Adesanya's rise in combat sports has been swift and remarkable. He has cemented his position as one of the best-ever fighters in MMA history.
'The Last Stylebender' represents a unique category of fighter, distinguished not only by his charisma, honesty, and ability to captivate audiences but primarily by his dominance in the cage.
While Adesanya is widely recognized for his longtime tenure as a UFC middleweight champion and his numerous knockout triumphs throughout his illustrious combat sports journey, some may ponder the total number of titles secured by 'The Last Stylebender' in his career.
How many titles does Israel Adesanya have?
Israel Adesanya commenced his training at the age of 18, embarking on a journey that led him to pursue a career in kickboxing. Prior to transitioning to the professional scene, he amassed an undefeated amateur record of 32 victories. 'The Last Stylebender' has since ventured into various realms of combat sports, including kickboxing, boxing, and mixed martial arts.
In May 2010, Adesanya marked the beginning of his seven-fight win streak with a victory over Tim Antonio, clinching the win by unanimous decision. Several fights later, he continued his dominance, primarily competing under the banner of Wu Lin Feng in China. Among his notable victories, Adesanya secured wins against respected kickboxers such as Yousri Belgaroui and Bogdan Stoica.
However, his sole defeat during this period came at the hands of his longstanding rival and future GLORY middleweight champion, Alex Pereira, who emerged victorious via unanimous decision.
Before transitioning to mixed martial arts, Adesanya's final kickboxing bout was a rematch against 'Poatan' at Glory of Heroes 7. Pereira secured victory with a decisive short left hook.
The Nigerian-born Kiwi accumulated an impressive professional kickboxing record of 75-5, including 48 knockouts. Meanwhile, his boxing career was relatively brief, with a 5-1 record. Additionally, Adesanya has been honored with a purple belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu bestowed by Andre Gavao.
'The Last Stylebender' made his professional MMA debut in 2012, securing a TKO victory over James Griffiths. He then embarked on an impressive 10-fight undefeated streak before his octagon debut against Rob Wilkinson at UFC 221 in February 2018.
Adesanya's career's pivotal moment came in April 2019, when he clinched victory over Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236, capturing the interim middleweight title. His ascent reached new heights at UFC 243, where he claimed the undisputed 185-pound championship with a knockout win over Robert Whittaker.
Adesanya's undefeated run in the middleweight division was halted when he lost to Pereira at UFC 281. However, he bounced back with a resounding victory at UFC 287.
The former middleweight champion's second title reign was halted by Sean Strickland at UFC 293 last September. With a total of eight victories in title fights, he ranks second in the division, trailing only Anderson Silva, who holds the record with 11 wins. Adesanya currently boasts a professional MMA record of 24-3, with 16 victories secured by TKO or KO.