History of Israel Adesanya in Timeline
Israel Adesanya is a Nigerian-New Zealand professional fighter with an impressive record in multiple combat sports. He is a former two-time UFC Middleweight Champion and has held titles in kickboxing. As of January 2024, he is ranked #2 in the UFC middleweight rankings and #13 in the pound-for-pound rankings, demonstrating his dominance in the sport.
1960: Memorable Moment in Nigerian Sports History
Adesanya and Kamaru Usman becoming UFC champions was ranked as the 29th most memorable moment in Nigerian sports history since 1960.
July 1989: Birth of Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya was born in July 1989.
1999: Adesanya's Move to Ghana and New Zealand
In 1999, Adesanya and his family moved to Ghana for 10 months before settling in Rotorua, New Zealand. His parents wanted him to have access to better education opportunities.
2009: Historic Matchup of Unbeaten Fighters
The fight marked the first time since 2009 that two undefeated male fighters competed for a UFC title.
May 2010: Beginning of Adesanya's Seven-Fight Winning Streak
Adesanya's seven-fight winning streak began in May 2010 with a victory against Tim Atonio.
2012: Adesanya's Professional Debut
Adesanya made his professional debut in 2012, securing a TKO victory.
November 2014: Professional Boxing Debut and Super 8 Tournament
Adesanya began his professional boxing career in November 2014 against two-time Australian champion Daniel Ammann in the Super 8 Boxing Tournament. Despite a strong showing, he lost a controversial unanimous decision.
2014: Rematch Against Jamie Eades
Adesanya had a rematch against Jamie Eades in the final of the 2014 Cruiserweight tournament.
2014: Adesanya's Kunlun Fight and Glory Debut
In 2014, Adesanya participated in the Kunlun Fight 80 kg tournament and made his debut in Glory, a kickboxing organization.
May 2015: Super 8 Cruiserweight Tournament Victory
Adesanya re-entered the Super 8 Cruiserweight tournament in May 2015. He won three consecutive fights, defeating Asher Derbyshire, Lance Bryant, and Brian Minto to become the tournament champion and win a cash prize and a car.
August 2015: Adesanya's Return to MMA and Championship Wins
Adesanya returned to MMA in August 2015 and secured victories, including winning the AFC Middleweight Championship and the Hex Fight Series Middleweight championship.
2015: Adesanya's Double Victory in King in the Ring Tournaments
Adesanya won the King in the Ring Cruiserweights II tournament and later in the year, he also won the Cruiserweights III tournament.
2015: Super 8 Cruiserweight Tournament Defense
Adesanya participated in and won the 2015 Super 8 Cruiserweight tournament, defeating Zane Hopman in the semifinals and defending his title against Lance Bryant in the final.
2015: Adesanya's Victory in The Heavyweights III Tournament
Adesanya emerged victorious in The Heavyweights III tournament in 2015, further solidifying his prowess in the ring.
2016: Adesanya's Glory Middleweight Contender Tournament Win and Controversial Loss
In 2016, Adesanya won the Glory Middleweight Contender Tournament but faced a controversial loss against Jason Wilnis in a match for the Glory Middleweight championship.
December 2017: Adesanya Signs with UFC
Adesanya's career reached a new height when he signed a contract with the UFC in December 2017.
February 2018: Adesanya's UFC Debut and Victory
In February 2018, Adesanya made his UFC debut with a technical knockout victory against Rob Wilkinson, earning him the Performance of the Night bonus.
April 2018: Adesanya's Victory Against Marvin Vettori
Adesanya continued his winning streak in the UFC with a split decision victory against Marvin Vettori in April 2018.
July 2018: Adesanya's Dominant Victory and Second Performance of the Night Award
Adesanya secured a unanimous decision victory against Brad Tavares in July 2018, earning his second Performance of the Night award.
November 2018: Adesanya's Third Performance of the Night Award
Adesanya's technical knockout victory against Derek Brunson in November 2018 earned him his third Performance of the Night award.
February 2019: Adesanya vs. Anderson Silva: Fight of the Night
Adesanya faced former UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva in February 2019, winning the fight by unanimous decision. The bout was awarded Fight of the Night.
April 2019: Adesanya's Interim Championship Win and Fight of the Year Contender
Adesanya's victory against Kelvin Gastelum in April 2019 earned him the interim UFC Middleweight Championship and widespread recognition, with many considering it the best fight of the year.
October 2019: Adesanya Becomes UFC Middleweight Champion
Adesanya achieved a significant milestone by defeating Robert Whittaker in October 2019 to become the UFC Middleweight Champion. This victory also earned him his fourth Performance of the Night award.
February 2020: Apology for Offensive Remarks
Adesanya issued an apology in February 2020 for making an insensitive remark about the September 11 attacks during a pre-fight press conference for UFC 248. He acknowledged that his words were inappropriate and pledged to be more mindful of his language.
March 2020: Adesanya's First Title Defense and a Controversial Fight
Adesanya successfully defended his title for the first time against Yoel Romero in March 2020, though the fight drew criticism for its lack of action.
September 2020: Adesanya's Second Title Defense and Controversial Celebrations
Adesanya's second title defense against Paulo Costa in September 2020 resulted in a technical knockout victory and his fifth Performance of the Night award. However, his post-fight celebrations sparked controversy.
September 2020: Puma Sponsorship
In September 2020, Adesanya made history as the first mixed martial arts athlete to sign a sponsorship deal with Puma.
2020: Recognition by Premium Times
Adesanya and Kamaru Usman's achievements were recognized by Premium Times in 2020.
2020: Endorsement of Cannabis Legalization
Adesanya publicly supported the "yes" vote in New Zealand's 2020 referendum on cannabis legalization.
March 2021: UFC Light Heavyweight Championship Bout
In March 2021, Adesanya moved up a weight class to challenge Jan Błachowicz for the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship at UFC 259. Despite weighing in at 200 pounds, five pounds under the limit, he lost the fight by unanimous decision, marking his first professional MMA defeat.
March 2021: Reprimanded for Social Media Comment
In March 2021, New Zealand's Deputy Prime Minister criticized Adesanya for making a comment on Instagram that trivialized rape. Adesanya subsequently deleted the post.
June 2021: Advocacy for Tougher Penalties Against Violence
Following the death of his training partner, Fau Vake, from a coward punch assault, Adesanya called for stricter penalties against such violent acts in June 2021.
June 2021: UFC Middleweight Championship Rematch
In June 2021, Adesanya faced Marvin Vettori in a rematch for the UFC Middleweight Championship at UFC 263. Adesanya dominated the fight, securing a unanimous decision victory and successfully defending his title.
February 2022: UFC Middleweight Championship Rematch
Adesanya and Robert Whittaker had their rematch for the UFC Middleweight Championship in February 2022 at UFC 271. Adesanya once again emerged victorious, winning by unanimous decision and solidifying his dominance in the division.
July 2022: UFC 276 Victory and Crypto.com Bonus
Adesanya faced Jared Cannonier at UFC 276 in July 2022, securing a unanimous decision victory. His performance earned him the Crypto.com Fan Bonus of the Night, receiving US$30,000 in bitcoin.
November 2022: UFC Middleweight Championship Loss
Adesanya faced Alex Pereira, his former kickboxing rival, at UFC 281 in November 2022. Pereira, who had defeated Adesanya twice in kickboxing, handed Adesanya his first loss at middleweight, winning the title via technical knockout in the fifth round.
November 2022: Arrest for Possession of Brass Knuckles
Adesanya was arrested in November 2022 at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City for possessing brass knuckles.
April 2023: UFC Middleweight Championship Reclaimed
Adesanya and Pereira rematched for the UFC Middleweight Championship in April 2023 at UFC 287. Adesanya avenged his previous loss, knocking out Pereira in the second round to regain the title. He also earned the Performance of the Night award.
June 2023: Stylebender Documentary Premiere
"Stylebender," a documentary film about Adesanya's life, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2023.
August 2023: DUI Arrest
Adesanya was arrested for drunk driving in Auckland, New Zealand, in August 2023 with a blood alcohol content exceeding the legal limit.
September 2023: UFC Middleweight Championship Loss
In a significant upset, Adesanya lost the UFC Middleweight Championship to Sean Strickland at UFC 293 in September 2023. Strickland won by unanimous decision, with all three judges scoring the fight 49–46.
January 2024: Pleading Guilty to DUI and Court-Related Issues
Adesanya pleaded guilty to drunk driving charges in January 2024. He received a fine, a driving suspension, and a discharge without conviction. His ability to travel and secure sponsorships was considered in the sentencing. He also faced legal issues for posting videos from inside the courtroom on social media, which is prohibited without the judge's permission, and later issued an apology.
January 2024: Adesanya's UFC Middleweight Ranking
As of January 2024, Adesanya was ranked #2 in the UFC middleweight rankings.
August 1, 2024: Apology for Comments on Women's Boxing
On August 1, 2024, Adesanya made inaccurate and controversial comments on Twitter about a women's boxing match at the Olympics, suggesting men shouldn't box women. He later retracted his statements and apologized for spreading misinformation.
August 2024: Scheduled UFC Middleweight Championship Bout
Adesanya is slated to face Dricus du Plessis for the UFC Middleweight Championship on August 18, 2024, at UFC 305 in Perth, Australia.