5 opponents Israel Adesanya has to beat to become the middleweight GOAT

Israel Adesanya recently extended his reign of dominance in the UFC's middleweight division by defeating former champion Robert Whittaker for a second time at UFC 271.

'The Last Stylebender' is undefeated at middleweight. With that in mind, fans are beginning to wonder what more he needs to do in order to claim the moniker of the greatest 185-pound fighter of all time.

Anderson Silva is undeniably the current unofficial UFC middleweight GOAT, but it is hard to deny that Israel Adesanya is hot on his heels.

With that said, in the following list, we break down five opponents that 'The Last Stylebender' will need to overcome in order to surpass the greatness of 'The Spider'.

#5. Israel Adesanya vs. Nassourdine Imavov

Whilst this pick may come as a surprise to some fans of the sport, Nassourdine Imavov could well be primed for a future of greatness in the UFC's middleweight division.

Training out of Fernand Lopez's MMA Factory in Paris, France, Imavov has regular access to high-level training partners, including top heavyweight contender Ciryl Gane.

Imavov is currently 3-1 in the UFC, with his sole loss coming in a bout with Phil Hawes, in what was deemed a very controversial decision. He holds impressive stoppage wins over the likes of Ian Heinisch and Edmen Shahbazyan. He is now set to take on Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 273.

Imavov is clearly a fighter on the rise. Should he overcome Kelvin Gastelum, it is very likely that fans will soon start discussing a potential title bout. To be the greatest, a champion has to consistently repel rising contenders.

At the rate that Imavov has been progressing, a fight with 'The Last Stylebender' is inevitable.

#4. Israel Adesanya vs. Darren Till

Whilst Darren Till has not yet reached the level of success he hoped to achieve at middleweight, the 29-year-old still has room to grow. Till and Adesanya have regularly gone back and forth with each other, both being vocal about their desire for a matchup to be made in the future.

Till has recently been training at the Allstar Training Center in Sweden, along with the likes of Khamzat Chimaev and Alexander Gustaffson. If the work pays off and 'The Gorilla' is able to pick up a win or two in the middleweight division, do not be surprised if the UFC books Adesanya vs. Till in the near future.

Despite the 1-2 record at 185 pounds, Till is still one of the better strikers in the division. However, it is in his ground game that opponents have managed to take advantage of, with it being very clear in Till's recent submission loss to Derek Brunson.

Thankfully for Till, if a fight against Adesanya is made, it will likely be an all-out striking affair. This will give the both the opportunity to show off their skills on the feet in all its glory.

Should Adesanya win, the argument for him being the greatest striker in the UFC will only be strengthened, as will his argument for being the greatest middleweight of all time.

#3. Israel Adesanya vs. Sean Strickland

Undefeated since moving up to the middleweight division, Sean Strickland is a clinical strategist inside the octagon, regardless of his somewhat polarizing personality.

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Strickland's outspokenness could provide Israel Adesanya with a rivalry similar to that of the iconic Silva vs. Sonnen beef, which captured the attention of millions and raised both men to another level of stardom.

Strickland is also a striker whose relentless pressure could force the very best out of Israel Adesanya. The champ has been criticized in the past for occasionally coasting in fights, such as the bouts against Marvin Vettori and Yoel Romero.

Strickland will force 'The Last Stylebender' to be on his toes at all times, which is typically when he has shown true greatness.

#2. Israel Adesanya vs. Jared Cannonier

It appears that Jared Cannonier will be the next opponent to challenge Israel Adesanya for the UFC middleweight title. The 'Killa Gorilla' has seemingly secured the number one contender status after brutally dispatching Derek Brunson at UFC 271.

Cannonier is one of the few current top middleweight contenders that Adesanya has not yet defeated. As a result, a win over the hard-hitting middleweight is crucial for 'The Last Stylebender' to continue improving his legacy as a 185-pound great.

UFC 271: Jared Cannonier v Derek Brunson

#1. Israel Adesanya vs. Khamzat Chimaev

It is not often that a fighter garners the amount of hype and fan excitement that Khamzat Chimaev has received over the past two years. Currently undefeated with wins over both UFC welterweights and middleweights, the stage appears to be nearly ready for an all-time great clash between 'Borz' and Adesanya.

Admittedly, Chimaev is currently competing at welterweight, but he has already stated that he intends on becoming the UFC's first three-division champion. This would mean not only claiming Kamaru Usman's 170-pound title, but also Adesanya's 185-pound title and even Glover Teixeira's light heavyweight belt.

Should it begin to look like Chimaev's lofty goal is within sight, he will undouteltly face off against Adesanya. This would be a fight of international interest, catapulting the winner into GOAT contendership.