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Israel Adesanya's undefeated middleweight record (9-0 in the UFC) makes him look invincible at 185lbs.
Adesanya's success against middleweight fighters can be attributed to his lanky frame, which he utilizes perfectly to maintain and measure distance against his opponents. Courtesy of his effective distance management skills, the champion pieces his opposition from the outside, which was on full display in the Paulo Costa fight at UFC 253.
The Nigerian-born fighter is also just as impressive with his defensive skills as he is with his offensive skills. Known for his finessed counter-attacking, Adesanya's positional awareness inside the cage is regarded as one of the finest in the promotion's history. A stellar kickboxing record (75-5) proves the middleweight champion's mettle as a distinguished striker.
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That said, the only flaw in Israel Adesanya's arsenal was exposed by light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz at UFC 259. Blachowicz landed a combined 107 significant strikes and executed three takedowns successfully in the Champion vs Champion clash. The Polish powerhouse's ability to effectively mix things up paved the way for him to outstrike 'The Last Stylebender'.
We look at 5 UFC middleweights who could pick up on Blachowicz's gameplan and outstrike Israel Adesanya:
#5 Robert Whittaker
At UFC Vegas 24, Robert Whittaker solidified his case to be next in line for a title shot against Israel Adesanya. The former middleweight champion was able to extend his winning streak to three when he put on a striking clinic against former interim title challenger Kelvin Gastelum.
Leading into the Gastelum fight, Robert Whittaker claimed he was extensively focussing on improving his stand-up skillset. The Aussie backed his claims by comprehensively outstriking Gastelum. Whittaker landed 150 of 284 while Gastelum could only land 62 of 209, per UFC Stats.
"I worked on my stand-up a lot. And I worked with (boxing coach) Justin Fitzgerald very much and I worked with (super welterweight boxing star) Tim Tszyu a little bit. We just got my hands to the next level," Whittaker revealed during the post-fight interview.
Whittaker's new-found mastery in striking will certainly serve him well against Israel Adesanya in a rematch.
#4 Darren Till
Although Darren Till is merely 1-1 at middleweight, he certainly can't be ruled out of the title conversation just yet. 'The Gorilla' has only fought the creme-de-la-creme in the recent past. Till fought and won against Kelvin Gastelum in his UFC middleweight debut at UFC 244, after which he lost in a back-and-forth battle to Robert Whittaker in his last fight at UFC Fight Night 174.
If Darren Till stacks up some wins down the line, he could certainly present a tough challenge on the feet to Israel Adesanya. Till's fight against Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson is a perfect account of how well 'The Gorilla' fares against a technical striker. The Liverpudlian went toe-to-toe with 'Wonderboy' to secure a razor thin decision in 2018.
“I know when the time comes I’m going to beat Israel Adesanya,” said Darren Till in an interview with MMA Junkie.
#3 Kelvin Gastelum
Kelvin Gastelum's fight against Israel Adesanya at UFC 236 will most certainly go down as an all-time classic in UFC history. The barnburner was loaded with fireworks, and was hailed as a fight of the year nominee by the promotion.
From the get-go, Gastelum seemed to have the tools to neutralize Adesanya's long reach. The Mexican-hailing fighter took it to the Kiwi and landed 95 significant strikes. At one point in the first round, Gastelum even rocked Adesanya with a flush left hook. The former TUF coach threw a head kick in round four, which evidently wobbled Adesanya.
It is possible that Gastelum could very well outstrike Israel Adesanya if the two gladiators ever lock horns again.
#2 Kevin Holland
Israel Adesanya holds a reach advantage over most middleweights. The champion stands 6 foot 4 inches tall with an impressive 80-inch-long reach. As mentioned above, Adesanya effectively manages distance with the help of his long reach to piece his opponents apart.
However, 'The Last Stylebender' falls short in the reach department against fellow middleweight Kevin Holland. 'Trailblazer' stands 6 foot 3 inches with an 81-inch reach and has knocked out several notable athletes with his devastating power.
If the number fourteen-ranked fighter climbs into the title contention picture, he could certainly become a force to reckon with on the feet for Israel Adesanya.
#1 Marvin Vettori
Marvin Vettori is no stranger to Israel Adesanya's elite striking. The two combatants first met at UFC on FOX 29 in 2018. Although Vettori did land a few heavy shots in the first meeting, 'The Italian Dream' fell short by a razor-thin margin.
In his next fight, Vettori stands a chance to exact revenge and beat Adesanya at his own game. The number three-ranked middleweight claims to have significantly improved his striking game, which he displayed in the Jack Hermansson fight, where he landed 164 of 334 strikes.
Mixed with his grappling acumen, Vettori's striking expertise could help him outstrike Israel Adesanya in the forthcoming rematch.
