5 UFC fighters who could dethrone Israel Adesanya

#2. Khamzat Chimaev - The worst stylistic matchup for Israel Adesanya

Khamzat Chimaev is undoubtedly the hottest prospect in the UFC right now and could be a real threat to Israel Adesanya's title down the line. The rising star is plying his trade in the welterweight division at the moment. Considering his propensity for finishing fights early and his hunger to stay active, this fight could happen sooner than we think.

The Russian-born Swedish phenom made waves in the MMA community with a couple of dominant performances on Fight Island in Abu Dhabi. Subsequently, 'Borz' took on Gerald Meerschaert and knocked him out just 17 seconds into the bout, establishing himself as one of the most intriguing prospects in years.

Despite Chimaev's incredible 3-0 start in the UFC, there wasn't much talk of him competing for a championship as he was still unranked. The three opponents he faced were unranked as well, with two of them no longer being a part of the UFC.

Following a lengthy bout with COVID-19, he was booked to fight No.11-ranked Li Jingliang at UFC 267 on Fight Island last year. Many believed that the durable Chinese fighter would pose a threat to Chimaev and that the bout would be a conclusive litmus test to show whether he was a legitimate title contender.

He secured a takedown and effortlessly choked out Jingliang in the very first round.

There was no doubt after the bout that Khamzat Chimaev is a real threat to Israel Adesanya's championship reign. His background in sambo-style wrestling, coupled with his underrated striking and relentless approach to fighting, will prove to be a real handful for most middleweights.

While a potential bout against Kamaru Usman is intriguing considering the welterweight champion's wrestling prowess, a fight against Adesanya seems undoubtedly winnable. Stylistically, he could be a nightmare matchup for 'The Last Stylebender'.

Chimaev poked fun at the Kiwi champion following his successful title defense at UFC 271.

---

#1. Alex Pereira - Has already knocked out Israel Adesanya once

Alex Pereira is one of the most decorated and accomplished kickboxers in the world. The Brazilian is undoubtedly an exciting addition to the UFC's middleweight division.

Pereira has gained a reputation for possessing an incredible amount of power and has produced some vicious knockouts in the kickboxing ring. Furthermore, he remains the only man to have knocked out the reigning UFC middleweight champion, Israel Adesanya.

Pereira began competing in MMA in 2015 and accrued a 3-1 record before being signed by the UFC. He made his promotional debut at UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2 in New York City, where he took on Andreas Michailidis. ‘Po Atan’ displayed his defensive abilities on the mat in the first round and knocked Michailidis out with a sensational flying knee in the second.

Following Pereira’s victory, analysts and fans started to fantasize about a potential matchup between the flashy Brazilian and Israel Adesanya.

Stylistically, it would be a sight to behold, as two elite strikers squaring off with no intention of shooting for a takedown will definitely produce fireworks. There is an extremely engaging storyline as well, with Adesanya most likely looking to avenge his KO loss to Pereira in kickboxing.

Speaking to MMAFighting.com after his debut, Pereira had this to say about Adesanya:

“I’m not worried, man. He’s the one that should be worried, right? He knows about my potential and knows I’ll get [to the top]. When I go somewhere, I do it to become the best, just like it was in kickboxing. I’ll do everything I can to get there, and maybe he won’t even be there when I do — [if that’s the case] what do I want with Adesanya? Nothing. Is he the champion? Cool, he’s the one I want. He’s no longer the champion? I want the one that is.”

In a video posted to his YouTube channel FREESTYLEBENDER, Adesanya gave his take on Pereira’s victory. He said:

“Good job, Pereira. That was nice. One thing I notice is everyone always holds on to that win he has over me like it’s the be all end all. I hope he does well. I hope he does well through the ranks. In the next four fights, I hope to see him. They’ll show you the knockout, but they won’t show you what happened before the fight. They won’t show you what happened before the finish. I hurt him, but I only throw these [raises fist] because I was infiltrated by other people’s thoughts. But that was when I was younger. Not anymore. It’s different now. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

Watch Israel Adesanya’s reaction to Pereira's knockout below: