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This Saturday at UFC 281, reigning middleweight champion Israel Adesanya will face the only foe to have ever knocked him unconscious. In the Nigerian-born New Zealander's final kickboxing bout, he suffered a crushing defeat to Brazilian bruiser Alex Pereira.
While the loss took place in the world of kickboxing, their upcoming MMA bout this Saturday will feature much of the same dynamics given that both fighters are strikers by trade. Thus, many expect the matchup to take on the complexion of a kickboxing bout.
Due to 'The Last Stylebender's' recent string of low-risk performances, some fans are eager to see him lose. However, from the UFC's perspective, the promotion has good reason to hope that their undisputed 185 lbs titleholder remains undefeated in the division.
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This list compiles five reasons why Israel Adesanya emerging victorious against 'Poatan' is a desirable outcome for the UFC.
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#5. Israel Adesanya is a reliable PPV draw
Since capturing UFC middleweight gold, 'The Last Stylebender' has consistently proved his worth as a pay-per-view draw for the UFC. Thus far, the lowest PPV buy-rate that Israel Adesanya has managed as a champion is 600,000 from his rematch against Marvin Vettori at UFC 263.
Meanwhile, the highest buy-rate he's ever managed is 800,000 PPV buys from his failed attempt at becoming a two-division champion against Jan Błachowicz at UFC 259. Neither 'The Italian Dream' nor Poland's first-ever UFC champion are PPV draws. 'The Last Stylebender', however, is.
The same cannot be said for Alex Pereira, who remains an unproven commodity and a higher risk for the UFC from a promotional standpoint.
#4. He is a trusted fighter
Throughout its history, the UFC has dealt with fighters—including other champions—who have lost the promotion's trust. This has happened in a myriad of ways. At times, fighters failed to make weight for their bouts, as was the case with Charles Oliveira, who was stripped of his lightweight title due to a weigh-in mishap.
In other cases, fighters either fail drug tests preceding or after their bouts or find themselves embroiled in legal crises like Jon Jones has. Israel Adesanya has no such stain on his record. 'The Last Stylebender' has never failed to make weight nor has he ever been engulfed in legal issues or caught by a positive PED test.
He is a fighter with a trusted reputation that the UFC never has to worry about finding short-term replacements for should he be forced to withdraw from a bout for one reason or another. In fact, Adesanya has never even withdrawn from a bout due to injury and remains the most active champion on the roster.
#3. The UFC has no public issues negotiating with him
While negotiations are largely private, it seems that every time the UFC encounters a wall with fighters during discussions revolving around their matchups or contracts, the disagreements become public knowledge.
Either Dana White accuses fighters of not wanting to fight. or fighters accuse the promotion of lowballing and not valuing them. These moments typically take place at press conferences or in interviews. No such issue has ever involved Israel Adesanya.
Not only has 'The Last Stylebender' been easy for the UFC to negotiate with, he has also accepted every matchup the promotion presented him with. A champion who doesn't pick and choose his challengers, fights multiple times per year, and is easy to negotiate with is a rare breed in modern MMA.
There is no guarantee that Alex Pereira will maintain that standard should he defeat his longtime rival this Saturday.
#2. Israel Adesanya taps into dual markets
Israel Adesanya has the distinction of representing two different nations: New Zealand and Nigeria. This places him in a unique position when it comes to his appeal as a headliner for the UFC. Since the reigning 185 lbs champion fights frequently, he headlines two to three PPV cards per year.
He is a guaranteed attraction whenever the UFC books events in Australia due to its geographic proximity to New Zealand. Furthermore, as one of only two reigning African champions in the UFC, Israel Adesanya is a channel through which the promotion can tap into an entire continent.
If the UFC ever books PPVs in the likes of South Africa and Nigeria, 'The Last Stylebender' would make for an easy main event choice due to his Nigerian roots. Furthermore, he can serve as an ambassador for the UFC and MMA as a whole on a continent where the sport of MMA is relatively new.
#1. A potential superfight with Jiří Procházka
While the Nigerian's first bid at capturing a title in a second division ended in his first professional MMA loss, he rebuilt himself by strengthening his position as the UFC middleweight champion. Since his loss to Jan Błachowicz, a new titleholder has emerged at 205 lbs.
Jiří Procházka enthroned himself as the light heavyweight division's newest king with a Fight of the Year-caliber performance against Glover Teixeira. Should the Czech sensation emerge victorious against the Brazilian later in December, a potential matchup with Israel Adesanya awaits.
The clash presents an interesting matchup of dazzling striking styles and unique personalities. Procházka's love of samurai culture is partially mirrored by Adesanya’s own admiration for Japanese culture, setting up an intriguing bout in every sense that is certain to entertain fans in and outside the octagon.
