History of Israel Adesanya in Timeline

Israel Adesanya is a Nigerian-New Zealander professional mixed martial artist, kickboxer, and boxer. He is a former two-time UFC Middleweight Champion and currently competes in the UFC's Middleweight division, ranked #5 as of August 26, 2025. Adesanya is also a former Glory Middleweight Championship title challenger in kickboxing, showcasing his prowess across multiple combat sports.

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Full Timeline

July 1989: Israel Adesanya's Birth

On July 1989, Israel Mobolaji Temitayo Odunayo Oluwafemi Owolabi Adesanya was born. He is a Nigerian-New Zealander professional mixed martial artist, former kickboxer, and boxer.

1999: Relocation to Ghana

In 1999, Israel Adesanya relocated to Ghana with his family for 10 months.

2009: First title fight since 2009

On September 27, 2020, Israel Adesanya against Paulo Costa marked the first time two male unbeaten mixed martial artists met in a title fight since 2009.

2012: Professional MMA Debut

In 2012, Israel Adesanya made his professional mixed martial arts debut, securing a TKO victory against James Griffiths.

November 2014: Professional Boxing Debut

In November 2014, Israel Adesanya began his professional boxing career against Daniel Ammann and entered the Super 8 Boxing Tournament, suffering a controversial loss via unanimous decision.

2014: Kunlun Fight Tournament

In 2014, Israel Adesanya participated in the Kunlun Fight 80 kg tournament during Kunlun Fight 2, losing in the semifinal bout against Simon Marcus.

2014: Previous encounter with Jamie Eades

Israel Adesanya and Jamie Eades previously met in the final of the 2014 Cruiserweight tournament.

May 2015: Super 8 Tournament Win

In May 2015, Israel Adesanya won the Super 8 tournament held at Horncastle Arena in Christchurch, defeating Asher Derbyshire, Lance Bryant, and Brian Minto.

August 2015: Return to MMA

In August 2015, Israel Adesanya returned to mixed martial arts after a two-year hiatus, winning against Song Kenan by TKO.

2015: The Heavyweights III Tournament

In 2015, Israel Adesanya participated in The Heavyweights III tournament, defeating Nase Foai, Dan Roberts, and Jamie Eades to win the tournament.

2015: King in the Ring Cruiserweights II Tournament

In 2015, Israel Adesanya participated in and won the King in the Ring Cruiserweights II tournament in New Zealand, defeating Slava Alexeichik, Pati Afoa, and Jamie Eades.

2015: Super 8 Cruiserweight Tournament

Israel Adesanya fought in the 2015 Super 8 Cruiserweight tournament, winning the semifinal match against Zane Hopman by unanimous decision, and defended the cruiserweight crown with a unanimous decision win against Lance Bryant in the final.

2016: Glory Middleweight Contender Tournament and Championship Fight

In 2016, Israel Adesanya won the Glory Middleweight Contender Tournament by defeating Robert Thomas and Yousri Belgaroui. He then fought Jason Wilnis for the Glory Middleweight championship but lost by unanimous decision, a result considered controversial.

December 2017: Signing with the UFC

In December 2017, Israel Adesanya signed a contract with the UFC.

February 2018: UFC Debut at UFC 221

On February 11, 2018, Israel Adesanya made his UFC debut against Rob Wilkinson at UFC 221, winning by technical knockout in the second round and earning a Performance of the Night award.

April 2018: Fight against Marvin Vettori at UFC on Fox 29

On April 14, 2018, Israel Adesanya fought against Marvin Vettori at UFC on Fox 29, winning by split decision.

July 2018: Fight Against Brad Tavares at The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale

On July 6, 2018, Israel Adesanya fought Brad Tavares at The Ultimate Fighter 27 Finale, winning via unanimous decision and earning his second Performance of the Night award.

November 2018: Fight Against Derek Brunson at UFC 230

On November 3, 2018, Israel Adesanya fought Derek Brunson at UFC 230, winning by technical knockout in the first round and earning his third Performance of the Night award.

February 2019: Fight Against Anderson Silva at UFC 234

On February 10, 2019, Israel Adesanya faced Anderson Silva in the main event of UFC 234, winning by unanimous decision and earning the Fight of the Night award.

April 2019: Hall of Fame Induction

Israel Adesanya's bout with Kelvin Gastelum that occurred in April 2019 will be inducted into the fight wing of the 2025 UFC Hall of Fame.

April 2019: Fight Against Kelvin Gastelum for Interim UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 236

On April 13, 2019, Israel Adesanya fought Kelvin Gastelum for the interim UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 236, winning by unanimous decision and earning the Fight of the Night award. The fight was widely regarded as the best fight of the year.

October 2019: Title Unification Bout Against Robert Whittaker at UFC 243

On October 6, 2019, Israel Adesanya faced Robert Whittaker in a title unification bout at UFC 243, winning by knockout in the second round to become the UFC Middleweight Champion and earning his fourth Performance of the Night award.

February 2020: Controversial Comments and Apology

In February 2020, Israel Adesanya faced criticism for insensitive comments made at the UFC 248 pre-fight press conference. He subsequently apologized on his Instagram page.

March 2020: Title Defense Against Yoel Romero at UFC 248

On March 7, 2020, Israel Adesanya defended his title against Yoel Romero at UFC 248, winning by unanimous decision in a fight criticized for its low activity.

September 2020: Sponsorship Deal with Puma

In September 2020, Israel Adesanya became the first mixed martial arts athlete to sign a sponsorship deal with Puma.

September 2020: Title Defense Against Paulo Costa at UFC 253

On September 27, 2020, Israel Adesanya defended his title against Paulo Costa at UFC 253, winning by technical knockout in the second round and earning his fifth Performance of the Night award. The fight was followed by controversy over Adesanya's gynecomastia and his post-fight conduct.

2020: Recognition in Nigerian Sports History

In 2020, Israel Adesanya and Kamaru Usman becoming UFC champions was ranked as the 29th most memorable moment in Nigerian sports history since 1960 by Premium Times.

2020: Adesanya Endorses Cannabis Referendum

In 2020, Israel Adesanya endorsed a "yes" vote in the 2020 New Zealand cannabis referendum.

March 2021: Adesanya's "flippant comments" on Instagram

In March 2021, New Zealand Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson criticized Israel Adesanya's Instagram comments where he said "Bro, I will fuckin' rape you" to Kevin Holland. Robertson emphasized the seriousness of rape and stated that such comments should not be made flippantly.

March 2021: Challenge for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship at UFC 259

On March 6, 2021, Israel Adesanya moved up a weight class to face Jan Błachowicz for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship at UFC 259, losing by unanimous decision and marking his first defeat in mixed martial arts.

June 2021: Adesanya Advocates Tougher Penalties Against Coward Punching

In June 2021, Israel Adesanya advocated for tougher penalties against coward punching following the death of his training partner Fau Vake, who died after being punched in the head the previous month.

June 2021: Rematch Against Marvin Vettori for UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 263

On June 12, 2021, Israel Adesanya rematched Marvin Vettori for the UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 263, winning by unanimous decision.

February 2022: Rematch Against Robert Whittaker for UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 271

On February 12, 2022, Israel Adesanya rematched Robert Whittaker for the UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 271, winning by unanimous decision.

July 2022: Fight Against Jared Cannonier at UFC 276

On July 2, 2022, Israel Adesanya fought Jared Cannonier at UFC 276, winning by unanimous decision and earning the Crypto.com Fan Bonus of the Night first place award of US$30,000 paid in bitcoin.

November 2022: Adesanya Arrested for Possession of Brass Knuckles

In November 2022, Israel Adesanya was arrested at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City for possessing brass knuckles.

November 2022: Fight Against Alex Pereira at UFC 281

On November 12, 2022, Israel Adesanya fought Alex Pereira at UFC 281, losing the fight and title via technical knockout in the fifth round, marking his first loss at middleweight.

April 2023: Rematch Against Alex Pereira for UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 287

On April 8, 2023, Israel Adesanya rematched Alex Pereira for the UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 287, winning the fight and title via knockout in the second round and earning the Performance of the Night award.

June 2023: "Stylebender" Documentary Debuts

In June 2023, Stylebender, a documentary film focusing on the life of Israel Adesanya, debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival.

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August 2023: Adesanya Pulled Over for Drunk Driving

In August 2023, Israel Adesanya was pulled over for drunk driving in central Auckland, New Zealand, with a blood alcohol content of 87mg%, exceeding the legal limit of 50mg%.

September 2023: Fight Against Sean Strickland at UFC 293

On September 10, 2023, Israel Adesanya fought Sean Strickland at UFC 293, losing the bout and championship in a major upset via unanimous decision.

January 2024: Adesanya Pleads Guilty to Drunk Driving

In January 2024, Israel Adesanya pleaded guilty to drunk driving and was fined NZ$1,500 and given a six-month driving suspension. He received a discharge without conviction, his second such discharge, to avoid adverse effects on travel and sponsorships. After the court appearance, he illegally posted videos from inside the court to social media and then removed the posts and released an apology.

August 2024: Adesanya's False Comments on Twitter Regarding Imane Khelif

On August 1, 2024, Israel Adesanya made false comments on Twitter regarding Algerian boxer Imane Khelif's win at the 2024 Summer Olympics. He later apologized and said he would leave women's fights to women.

August 2024: Fight Against Dricus du Plessis at UFC 305

On August 18, 2024, Israel Adesanya fought Dricus du Plessis for the UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia. He lost the fight via a face crank submission in the fourth round, leading to the first submission loss in his career.

September 2024: Adesanya Involved in Road Rage Incident

In September 2024, Israel Adesanya was involved in a verbal confrontation after a road rage incident in Auckland, New Zealand. Video footage showed Adesanya spitting in the direction of the other individual. Adesanya alleged racial abuse and plans to press charges.

February 2025: Induction into UFC Hall of Fame

In February 2025, it was announced on the UFC 312 broadcast that Israel Adesanya's bout with Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 236 in April 2019 would be inducted into the fight wing of the 2025 UFC Hall of Fame.

February 2025: Fight Against Nassourdine Imavov at UFC Fight Night 250

On February 1, 2025, Israel Adesanya faced Nassourdine Imavov in a non-title bout at UFC Fight Night 250, losing by technical knockout in the second round.